September 24th, 2025
PRESS STATEMENT
FROM COURT REFUSAL TO EMPTY RHETORIC: HOLDING LANSANA DUMBUYA ACCOUNTABLE
The Sierra Leone Advocacy Movement – Global (SLAM-GLOBAL), speaking with the voice of the suffering majority, responds to the recent “Wi Yard” interview of APC Secretary-General Lansana Dumbuya. His claims and contradictions are not harmless slips of the tongue-they are lies by omission, deception through inaction, and betrayal of the people’s trust. Ordinary Sierra Leoneans from Bo to Kailahun; Kabala to Port Loko; etc., are living daily in fear and want – empty talk is no longer an option.
One mother in Moyamba cried, “We can’t feed our children on promises – our children need food, schools, and jobs now.” Yet APC Secretary-General Lansana Dumbuya has largely offered only accusations and committees, not action. Even Reuters reported that many voters “feared more unrest” as disputed results were announced. Today, their fears have grown, because talk has replaced tangible justice.
Claim of “Never Lied” – A Misleading Illusion: Mr. Dumbuya told the nation he has “never lied in his life.” Such a sweeping declaration collapses under scrutiny. Truth is not an abstraction-it is action. Every human being is limited by partial knowledge; even when words feel sincere, if they are not matched by deeds, they become lies in practice. To claim infallibility while standing idle in the face of injustice is to mislead the people and insult their intelligence.
The Letter He Cannot Escape: On July 3, 2023, Lansana Dumbuya himself signed an APC letter declaring “the party would not go to court to challenge the stolen elections”. The excuse: lack of faith in the judiciary. That decision-his decision-was the moment the APC abandoned the people’s votes and international sympathy.
To now shift blame onto “the leadership” is hypocrisy. Mr. Dumbuya was the leadership. He signed the refusal. He chose inaction. He cannot distance himself from the consequences of his own pen.
Empty Words in the “Wi Yard” Interview: In his interview, Dumbuya admitted that “Maada Bio stole the elections.” Yet what daily action has he taken to right this wrong? None. Verbalizing truth without fighting for it is itself a lie. The people are not fooled:
” A mother in Makeni told SLAM-GLOBAL: “We cannot eat speeches. We cannot bury our children with promises. We need leaders who act, not leaders who talk.”
Citizens are tired of rhetoric that mimics Bio’s own hollow refrain of “let’s move on.”
Whether in green or red, empty words are still lies.
The Billion-Dollar Cost of Inaction: The cost of this failure is staggering. Because the opposition refused to act decisively in 2023, a fraudulent regime was allowed to entrench itself and squander nearly $1 billion in foreign loans and aid. That money-borrowed in the people’s name-has vanished into unfinished projects and empty promises while citizens starve.
What $1 billion could have meant for Sierra Leone:
” Education: 10,000 new classrooms and teachers, reaching half a million children; free school meals for every child for five years. More importantly, it could have paid teachers’ salaries and benefits for at least 10 years, settling long-overdue arrears and restoring dignity to a profession that has been starved of respect. Imagine every teacher in Sierra Leone receiving their wages on time, with pensions secured, and no more strikes forced by neglect. With that investment, half a million children would have had stable classrooms, motivated teachers, and daily school meals for five years.
” Healthcare: 100 modern hospitals; 10,000 nurses and midwives trained and paid for a decade-saving mothers and babies from preventable deaths. Sierra Leone could have ended the shame of women dying during childbirth for lack of basic care. Entire districts now without a single functioning hospital could have been given facilities with maternity wards, laboratories, and essential medicines.
” Jobs & Agriculture: 200,000 youth jobs; 50,000 tractors and tool packages for farmers-breaking hunger and dependency. With such an investment, Sierra Leone’s fertile land could have become a breadbasket rather than a field of despair. Instead of roaming the streets jobless, youths could have tilled the soil, built roads, and restored hope to their families.
” Electricity & Water: Solar mini-grids for every rural village; safe drinking water in every home. For the first time in decades, rural families could have had lights in their homes, children could have studied after dark, and mothers would not have to walk miles for dirty water. Darkness and thirst could have been defeated with a fraction of what was squandered.
” Youth Recovery: 100 drug rehabilitation centers-offering hope to a generation devastated by Kush and cocaine. Thousands of young men and women battling addiction could have found treatment, skills, and reintegration into society. Instead, the epidemic deepens daily, robbing Sierra Leone of its brightest future.
Instead, Sierra Leoneans remain in darkness, children go hungry, mothers die in childbirth, and youths are lost to addiction. A businesswoman in Freetown put it plainly: “With $1 billion, they could have lit every street and fed our children. Instead, we are left with empty promises and hungry stomachs.”
This is not abstract wastage-it is stolen opportunity, stolen futures. And by failing to act, APC leaders, including Mr. Dumbuya, share responsibility.
The Consequences of Lies by Inaction. The failure to contest, to act, and to lead has left Sierra Leone bleeding:
” Economic Collapse: Inflation soared above 52% in 2023, making food and fuel luxuries out of reach for millions. Families who once managed two meals a day now struggle to afford even one. A bag of rice consumes nearly half of a household’s monthly income, and transportation costs have doubled, paralyzing trade and small businesses.
” Youth Without Hope: Nearly 60% of young people (15-35) remain unemployed, left vulnerable to despair and radicalization. Our brightest graduates roam the streets with no jobs, no future, and no opportunity. Every idle day feeds frustration, while some youths are forced into dangerous migration journeys or exploited by political elites as foot soldiers.
” Kush and Cocaine Epidemic: Addiction ravages our largest demographic, fueled by government complicity and international
trafficking networks. Kush has become both a killer and a chain, destroying the health, dreams, and potential of tens of thousands. Entire communities are watching their sons waste away, while treatment centers are few, underfunded, or non-existent. The problem is worsened by Sierra Leone’s emergence as a hub for international drug lords. Dutch prosecutors revealed that Jos Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most wanted drug traffickers, has been residing in Sierra
Leone, with reports linking him to circles around the first family-allegations they have denied. Yet his very presence here underscores how inaction and impunity have turned Sierra Leone into fertile ground for both local addiction and global trafficking. Instead of dismantling these networks, authorities allow them to thrive, leaving citizens to suffer the deadly consequences.
” Political Violence: At least 34 citizens were killed during the August 2022 and post-election crackdowns; not one officer has been held accountable. Mothers still weep for sons who never came home, and families continue to bury loved ones without justice. These unpunished killings send a chilling message: Sierra Leonean lives can be taken with impunity.
” Poverty Entrenched: Over 57% of Sierra Leoneans live below the poverty line; one in four children under five suffers chronic malnutrition. Hunger has become the nation’s cruelest dictator, silencing children in classrooms, stunting growth, and robbing Sierra Leone of its next generation. For rural families, survival is a daily battle between empty fields and empty stomachs.
Each day without action compounds this suffering. Each silence from APC leadership deepens complicity.
Truth Demands Daily Action: SLAM-GLOBAL reminds Mr. Dumbuya: truth has no statute of limitations. If elections were stolen, action is required every day until justice is won. That means:
1. Publication of Polling-Station Results: The ECSL must release the 2023 results in full, for independent audit. Every ballot belongs to the people, not to party elites. Until the raw data is published and verified, there can be no closure and no legitimacy. International observers have already called for this step-yet secrecy continues. Transparency is non-negotiable.
2. Personal Accountability: Mr. Lansana Dumbuya must admit his July 2023 refusal to go to court was a grave mistake and committed to remedies, not excuses. History will not forgive leaders who abandon the truth. To lead with integrity, he must first confess his role in the failure and pledge to correct it by standing openly for justice.
3. Daily Engagement: APC leaders must organize peaceful mobilizations, pursue international pressure, and file new legal and parliamentary motions. Leadership is not a speech-it is daily sacrifice. Citizens expect their representatives to fight consistently, whether in the Courts, in Parliament, or in the Streets through lawful protest. One-off statements are meaningless without sustained effort.
4. Justice for Victims: Families of those killed or detained deserve independent investigations and reparations. Every mother who buried a son, every family whose breadwinner was jailed, deserves the dignity of truth and accountability. Reparations are not charity-they are justice. Until victims are recognized and compensated, wounds will fester, and reconciliation will remain hollow.
5. Economic Relief: Stop political games; champion urgent reforms to tackle hunger, joblessness, and the drug crisis. Sierra Leoneans cannot eat empty promises. They need price relief on food and fuel, jobs for idle graduates, and rehabilitation centers for youths trapped by Kush. True leadership means addressing daily survival, not postponing solutions until 2028.
Call to Citizens and the International Community: We call on Sierra Leoneans everywhere to reject lies dressed as truth. Hold both government and opposition accountable. Demand action, not excuses. Refuse to let silence become complicity.
We call on all Sierra Leoneans, at home and abroad, to turn outrage into action. Write to political leaders, lobby international partners, and continue peaceful protests. Remind our elected officials that they work for the people. Let no one forget that in Bo, Port Loko or even in the diaspora there are mothers and fathers who need more than empty words.
As one outraged teacher put it, “Our democracy was built on hope – we will not let it crumble through inaction.”
We call on international partners-the EU, ECOWAS, AU, Carter Center, and U.S. Congress- to recognize that Sierra Leone’s crisis is not only about Bio’s fraud but also about opposition failures. The people need allies who will insist on full transparency, justice for victims, and leadership that serves the nation, not itself.
SLAM-GLOBAL’s Final Word: Lansana Dumbuya’s July 2023 letter and September 2025 interview expose the same reality: a leader who talks, but does not act. The people cannot eat rhetoric. They cannot survive on promises. They demand truth that lives in action, every single day.
This is the moment to unite and hold our leaders to their promises. SLAM-GLOBAL stands with every Sierra Leonean demanding justice. We echo the resolve of ordinary citizens: “We will not take it anymore.” Our country’s future depends on turning every day’s frustration into the resolve to keep speaking out, until Lansana Dumbuya and his colleagues give the people what they deserve – real accountability and a fair chance at a better life.
P.S. We invite you to explore our recently published analysis in a book, “Building a Nation: Good Governance and Democratic Principles in Sierra Leone.” As we unite for change in 2025, this resource provides valuable insights for activists, policymakers, and concerned citizens committed to Sierra Leone’s transformation. Find it here: link.
Signed By:
Dr. Alfred A. Veenod Fullah
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
CC:
” State Dept Press Operations
” Office of Press Operations, U.S. State Department
” Office of the Chairman, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
” Office of the President of Sierra Leone
” Office of the Vice President of Sierra Leone
” Speaker of the Sierra Leone House of Parliament
” Office of the Chief Minister of the Government of Sierra Leone
” Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL)
” Inspector General of Sierra Leone Police
” Chief of Defence Staff, Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)
” Office of National Security, Sierra Leone
” Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion
” Leonardo Santos Simao, Representative of the Secretary-General & Head of UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)
” African Union (AU)
” Amnesty International
” Marco Rubio, United States Secretary of State
” Vice President, Congressional and Public Affairs
” The Commonwealth Secretary-General
” Karim Ahmad Khan, Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC)
” Richard YOUNG, Chief de Division, Afrique de l’Ouest
” Ms. Ursula Von Der Lyen, European Commissioner
” The United Nations Representative in Sierra Leone
” H. E. Oumar Touray, President of ECOWAS Commission
” Madam Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, former VP of The Gambia
” H.E Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
” H.E John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana
” H. E. Bassiru Faye, President of Senegal
” H.E Adama Barro, President of The Gambia
” H.E. Mamadi Doumbouya, President of Guinea
” H.E. Joseph Boakai, President of Liberia
” H.E Alassane Ouattara, President of Ivory Coast
” H.E Jean-Lucien Savi de Tove, President of the Togolese Republic
” David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Dev Affairs, UK
” Neil Alan John Coyle, MP for Bermondsey & Old Southwark, UK
” Ambassador Aly Diallo, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to the UK&I
” Ambassador Mohammad Maidugu, Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria in the UK&I
” Her Excellency Dr Fatou Bensouda, Head of Mission, The Gambia high Commission, UK&I
” H.E Fatimata Dia, Ambassador of Senegal to the UK&I
” H.E Gurly T. Gibson-Schwarz, Ambassador of Liberia to the UK&I
” Her Excellency Josephine Gauld, British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of the United States of America to Sierra Leone
” Head of the European Union Delegation in Sierra Leone
” General Consul of Canada in Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of China to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Germany to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Lebanon to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Iran to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Brazil to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Sweden to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Libya to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Egypt to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Cuba to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Guinea to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Liberia to Sierra Leone
” High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Sierra Leone
” High Commissioner of Ghana to Sierra Leone
” High Commissioner of The Gambia to Sierra Leone
” General Consul of Italy in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of Ireland in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of India to Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Senegal in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Syria in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Turkey in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Mali in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Romania in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Norway in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Hungary in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of France in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Belgium in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of The Netherlands in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Spain in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Serbia in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Austria in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Denmark in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Russia in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Malaysia in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of South Africa in Sierra Leone
” Civil Society Movement – Sierra Leone (CSM – SL)
” Media Reform Coordinating Group of Sierra Leone (MRCG)
” Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (SLANGO)
” Civil rights Defenders – Sierra Leone
” National Elections Watch (NEW) – Sierra Leone
” Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) – Sierra Leone
” Women’s Forum – Sierra Leone
” Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD)
” Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board
” Faith-Based and Interfaith Organizations – (Interreligious Council of Sierra Leone)
” Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL)
” Fourah Bay College – University of Sierra Leone
” Institute of Governance Reform (IGR)
” Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD)
” Children’s Forum Network
” Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) – Sierra Leone
” Awoko Newspaper – Sierra Leone
” Liberty TV Online – Sierra Leone
” Radio Democracy 98.1 FM Station – Sierra Leone
” The New York Times
” The Washington Post
” The USA Today
” The Cable News Network (CNN)
” The MicroSoft National Broadcast Corporation (MSNBC)
” The Fox News
” The Associated Press
” Thomson Reuters
” The National Public Radio (NPR)
” The Brookings Institution
” The Heritage Foundation
” The Center For American Progress
” The National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People (NAACP)
” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
” The MoveOn
” The Democratic National Committee
” The Republican National Committee
” The EMILY’s List
” The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
” The Sky News
” Al Jazeera
” The Independent Television (ITV)
” The Times
” The Financial Times
” The Guardian
” The Daily Telegraph