Ruling justly?
Sierra Leone is a small nation, but it guarantees at least one dramatic event a week. So much that requires you to stop and catch your breath; or else, you would be overwhelmed by the running episodes, starring mostly politicians and their sentimental and ever-cheering supporters, and once in a while, you would have extras […]
Salone’s historic women’s empowerment law: the task now is to make it work
This week, Sierra Leone’s parliament passed the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Bill 2021 into law. The GEWE Act comes after many years of struggle, advocacy and campaigning by Sierra Leonean women, activists and local and international organisations. It guarantees a 30% minimum quota for women in electable offices, public and private employment; equal […]
MCC scorecard: the symbolism and our leaders’ attitude to assistance
When we posted a Twitter thread on the MCC Scorecard, we indicated that we would be coming back to the topic from a critical perspective. We wanted to separate the facts from the editorialisation. The immediate reaction was that the scorecard is a good thing—it commits the government to make critical reforms to be able […]
Sierra Leone’s addiction troubles: New highs, new problems and what can be done
Sierra Leone’s drug abuse and addiction problems are not new. But new highs are driving it at a rate that is alarming and dangerous, especially for young people. Viral videos of individuals, apparently intoxicated with drugs, are now seen on social media platforms on a daily basis. The painful sight of young people who are […]
“Caring” leaders do not increase data prices in the middle of an economic crisis
The past week or so has seen a flurry of activity in the motherland: the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone to conduct the 2023 national elections under a Proportional Representation (PR) system; the increase in fuel price; and the government’s scattergun approach to the floor price for telecommunication data services. These are […]