Sewa News Stream

Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has experienced several leadership changes, beginning with David Cameron and most recently including Andy Burnham.  While the United Kingdom maintained democratic legitimacy during transitions, as power shifted between elected officials, in  Sierra Leone, such changes often undermined democratic rule, with the suspension or disruption of elections and civil institutions.  British prime ministers serving from 2016 to 2026 include David Cameron (2010–2016), Theresa May (2016–2019), Boris Johnson (2019–2022), Liz Truss (2022), Rishi Sunak (2022–2024), Keir Starmer (2024–2026), and Andy Burnham (2026–present).  Political parties in Britain can replace their leaders through internal elections whenever a leader loses the confidence of a sufficient number of party members.  In contrast, Sierra Leone experienced a similar frequency of leadership changes within its first decade of independence. Still, these transitions were primar...

In industrially advanced countries, former presidents attending conferences is a common occurrence, and their experience and expertise are typically valued in international and regional events. By contrast, in Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio has persistently sidelined his direct predecessor, Ernest Bai Koroma (pictured in an undated photo from the swearing-in ceremony for his second term), along with other former leaders who came to power through constitutional processes. Recently, members of Bio's administration, some of whom have previously expressed extreme views regarding opposition supporters and parties, have advocated for the return of Ernest Bai Koroma by supporting the dismissal of charges that labeled him an enemy of the state. These charges also placed his former appointees and family members at risk. Koroma held the last free and fair elections in 2018, which ushered in Julius Maada Bio as president.  Against this political backdrop, the contested 2023 presiden...