The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), seems to be walking on a big time-bomb, and unless it finds a way to navigate the turmoil, its future looks increasingly uncertain.
The SLPP’s inability to make firm decisions and its continuous failures in governance delivery, are threatening both its internal stability and its political survival. With a leadership that appears indecisive and an administration struggling to fulfil its promises, is the SLPP heading for self-destruction?
SLPP: From Promise to Crisis
When the SLPP returned to power in 2018 under President Julius Maada Bio, expectations were high. The party promised economic transformation, national unity, job creation, and a more transparent government. However, six years later, the reality tells a different story—one of broken promises, internal power struggles, and increasing public discontent.
The SLPP now finds itself in a precarious position, unable to effectively govern while also facing internal divisions that threaten its unity. It is a party stuck in limbo, constantly deciding but ultimately failing.
A Party Divided: Internal Power Struggles:
One of the most dangerous problems facing the SLPP is its internal divisions. The party is split between:
Old Guard vs. New Generation: The older politicians, who have long held power in the SLPP, are reluctant to hand over leadership to younger, more ambitious members. This has created tension within the party.
Factions Supporting the First Lady vs. Those Supporting the Chief Minister: The rumoured power struggle between First Lady Fatima Bio and Chief Minister David Sengeh is deepening internal cracks.
Regional Tensions: The SLPP has traditionally been a party with strongholds in the South and East, but even within these regions, there are disagreements over who should control the party’s future.
With these unresolved conflicts, the party’s energy is spent on internal battles rather than governing the country effectively. The more the SLPP fights within itself, the weaker it becomes in the eyes of the public. The Leadership Crisis: Bio’s Dilemma:
President Bio’s leadership is facing serious challenges. As the leader of the SLPP, he is expected to unite the party and lead the country forward. However, his inability to take decisive actions has made things worse.
Indecision over His Successor: Bio’s second term will end in 2028, and the question of who will take over is causing deep divisions within the SLPP. The Chief Minister and other senior SLPP members have shown interest, but Bio seems unwilling to make a clear decision.
Failure to Control Corruption: Despite promises to fight corruption, key government officials in the SLPP administration have been accused of financial mismanagement, yet no serious actions have been taken.
Weak Economic Policies: Bio’s administration has struggled to stabilize the economy, leading to inflation, unemployment, and a worsening cost of living crisis. This has significantly damaged the SLPP’s credibility.
Instead of making tough decisions, Bio seems to be caught between pleasing different factions within the SLPP and trying to maintain control—a strategy that is backfiring.
Governance Failures: Promises vs. Reality:
Beyond internal divisions, the SLPP’s governance failures have led to widespread frustration among Sierra Leoneans. The party’s inability to deliver on key campaign promises is pushing the country into deeper socio-economic problems.
- The Economy: A Time Bomb:
The economic situation in Sierra Leone under the SLPP has worsened, with: high inflation, making basic goods unaffordable, a depreciating currency that is weakening purchasing power; rising unemployment, especially among the youth, and increased taxation, putting more pressure on businesses and households.
Despite launching programs like Feed Salone, the government has failed to provide real economic relief to citizens. The situation is now so bad that even SLPP supporters are beginning to lose faith in the party’s ability to govern.
- Free Quality Education: A Dream Fading?
One of Bio’s flagship projects, Free Quality Education (FQE), was initially praised. However, as time passes, the program is struggling due to: overcrowded schools, poor teaching conditions and unpaid salaries for teachers and lack of school teaching and learning materials.
What was supposed to be a historic achievement for the SLPP is now becoming a failure due to poor planning and lack of funding.
- National Security and Governance: A Weak System:
The failed November 26 coup attempt exposed the weaknesses within the security sector. How did armed men manage to storm key government installations so easily?
Political repression is increasing, with opposition members being arrested or harassed.
Public institutions are being politicized, further weakening governance structures.
All these governance failures show that the SLPP is struggling to manage the affairs of the country, and Sierra Leoneans are growing more impatient.
The 2028 Elections: Will the SLPP Survive?
With all these failures, the SLPP is heading toward a crucial moment in 2028. The party must ask itself some serious questions:
Can it fix its internal divisions before the next elections?
Will it find a strong candidate to replace Bio?
Can it regain public trust after years of failed promises?
If the SLPP continues on its current path of indecision and failure, it is likely to lose power in 2028. The opposition, particularly the APC, is closely watching, waiting to take advantage of the SLPP’s weaknesses.
Posterity Watching: The Cost of Indecision and Failure
History has shown that political parties that fail to listen to the people eventually collapse. The stubbornness of the SLPP to take tough decisions and its continuous failures in governance delivery, is setting it up for a disastrous end.
If it does not fix its internal divisions, it will self-destruct.
If it does not address the economic crisis, voters will reject it.
If it does not regain credibility, it will be remembered as a party that had a chance but wasted it.
Sierra Leoneans are watching. The world is watching. Posterity will judge the SLPP on how it handles this moment.
A Party Running Out of Time:
The SLPP is standing on a last time bomb—a moment that will determine whether it survives or collapses. The party is still deciding on many issues, but with each delayed decision, it is failing even more.
Unless drastic changes are made, the SLPP is heading for a painful political downfall. The time for excuses is over. Sierra Leoneans want action, not empty promises. If the SLPP does not change course NOW, its days in power are numbered.