As Sierra Leone inches closer to the pivotal 2028 elections, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) appears to be stealthily laying the groundwork for what many fear is an audacious bid for a third term — an undemocratic maneuver that would only entrench the failures, injustices, and economic ruin that have defined President Julius Maada Bio’s administration since 2018. The very thought of a third-term agenda under the same political structure that has orchestrated so much hardship for ordinary Sierra Leoneans is not just alarming; it is insulting to the collective intelligence and suffering of the people.
From the outset, President Bio promised a “New Direction” — a hopeful blueprint to steer the nation away from poverty, corruption, and misrule. Yet, after over seven years in power, what Sierra Leoneans have witnessed is not reform but regression. The economy is in tatters. Prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed beyond reach. Fuel costs are crippling. Food insecurity is rising. The cost of mobile communication is outrageously high due to over-taxation. Basic services have deteriorated while the political elite continue to thrive in obscene comfort.
A Cycle of Recycled Politicians and Recycled Failure:
The recent internal scramble within the SLPP for who will carry the flag in 2028 is as disheartening as it is revealing. Nearly all those positioning themselves as potential flagbearers are either serving in the current administration or have been part of it. These are individuals who have had ample opportunity to effect change, speak truth to power, or at the very least distance themselves from the administration’s failures — yet they chose complicity. So, the question remains: What exactly is new about these contenders? What new vision or energy can they bring to a nation that has been battered under the very leadership they helped sustain?
These so-called “new faces” are nothing but old hands cloaked in fresh rhetoric. They have been co-architects of the failures of Bio’s regime — a government marred by rising inflation, increasing unemployment, and a crushing wave of economic hardship. They remained silent through the unjust killings of civilians, the abuse of opposition voices, the closure of democratic space, and the criminalization of dissent. They supported the removal of fuel and essential subsidies, knowing full well the burden it placed on the struggling masses.
From Hope to Hardship: The Decline Since 2018:
Before 2018, life in Sierra Leone was far from perfect. But it was markedly better than the dire conditions we are witnessing today. Under the previous administration, though there were challenges, the essentials were more affordable, and civil liberties were not this dangerously threatened. Today, a bag of rice — a staple in every household — has become a luxury. Transport fares have doubled. Youth unemployment is at a record high. The middle class is shrinking, and the poorest are left to scavenge for survival in an economy that works only for the politically connected.
This isn’t just about poor governance — it is about a complete betrayal of trust. The SLPP rode into power on the back of promises they had no intention of fulfilling. Now, with talk of a possible third term or a recycled leadership under the same political machinery, they are counting on the people’s forgetfulness and desperation. But Sierra Leoneans are no longer asleep. They are wide awake, and they are watching.
The Justice Question: Unresolved Crimes and Silenced Voices:
One of the darkest legacies of the Bio administration is its handling of justice and security. From the mysterious killings of political activists and civilians to the heavy-handed suppression of protests, Sierra Leone has taken a dangerous authoritarian turn. Not one major incident of state violence has been transparently investigated or resolved. Families of the victims continue to mourn without justice, while perpetrators walk free under the protection of the system.
What hope, then, can any SLPP flagbearer truly offer? Will they suddenly become defenders of justice after years of silence? Can they sincerely claim innocence when they have stood shoulder to shoulder with the very forces responsible for these atrocities?
The 2028 Elections: A Defining Moment:
As the 2028 elections approach, Sierra Leoneans face a crucial decision. Do they allow themselves to be manipulated into choosing between the same tired faces, the same corrupt structures, and the same empty promises? Or do they chart a new course — one built on truth, accountability, and genuine progress?
The SLPP, if it harbors any hope of convincing the public of a third-term agenda — whether through Bio himself or one of his protégés — has an uphill battle. The people now know better. They understand that leadership is not about slogans or symbolic gestures, but about action, empathy, and results. And on those counts, Bio’s SLPP has failed spectacularly.
For the SLPP to even begin regaining public trust, it must first admit its failures, clean house entirely, and present a truly new generation of leadership — not just in name, but in character, conscience, and competence. Anything short of this will be met with resistance and rejection at the ballot box.
Sierra Leone does not need another chapter of recycled suffering. The people are tired, angry, and resolute. They want change, not continuity. A third term, in any form, under the current SLPP blueprint, is not just a bad idea — it is a dangerous one. Sierra Leoneans must rise above the deceptions of political survival tactics and demand a leadership that reflects their pain, their hopes, and their right to a dignified life.