By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
The Sierra Leone People’s Party today finds itself engaged in a dangerous dance. It is a dance driven not by ideology, collective purpose, or a shared vision for the future, but by personal ambition, unchecked influence, internal mistrust, and the gradual erosion of discipline. The steps are uncertain, the rhythm confused, and the audience increasingly uneasy. What should have been a governing party focused on cohesion, reform, and national legacy has instead become a stage for rivalry, suspicion, and institutional overreach.
At the centre of this dance stands the president, not only as head of state but also as leader of the party. That dual responsibility carries enormous weight. At its strongest, it offers the authority to unify, steady, and protect the party from internal excesses. At its weakest, it becomes the very source of fragmentation. The current state of the SLPP reflects hesitation rather than clarity. Leadership that should have moderated ambition and enforced internal discipline has instead tolerated parallel power centres, selective enforcement of rules, and an atmosphere where loyalty is measured by proximity rather than principle.
Ironically, the President himself has publicly warned against such outcomes. At an SLPP National Executive gathering, he reminded party members that leadership firmness determines party strength.
| “When the Chairman stands firm, the Party stands firm. Unity within the party enables me, as leader and president, to focus fully on the responsibilities of governing the nation. While competition is natural in a democracy, division weakens the party and undermines its collective mission.”
These words are not controversial. They are foundational. Yet a political party is not governed by speeches alone. It is governed by consistency, restraint, and the fair application of rules. Where enforcement is selective, warnings lose meaning. Where boundaries are unclear, ambition fills the vacuum.
The failure to decisively manage internal conduct has allowed early positioning and undeclared campaigning to flourish. Individuals openly posture for future leadership while the party pretends not to notice. This has deeply confused the rank and file. Grassroots supporters struggle to reconcile public calls for unity with visible internal competition. When rules exist but are not applied uniformly, they lose authority. When caution is issued without consequence, discipline collapses quietly before it collapses publicly.
This confusion has been further intensified by the visible and controversial role of the First Lady. Her overreaching behaviour has unsettled even loyal party supporters. In any functioning democracy, the spouse of a sitting president must exercise restraint, particularly in political affairs. When that restraint is absent, perception becomes reality. The blurring of boundaries between elected authority and spousal influence breeds fear, silence, and resentment within the party. Many members choose not to speak, not because they agree, but because they do not wish to be exposed.
As a result, the party executive has been weakened. Instead of functioning as a collective leadership body, it has been sidelined. Its authority questioned, its relevance diminished, and its cohesion strained. Decisions appear arbitrary. Processes lose legitimacy. Trust erodes without announcement. A party that undermines its own structures slowly dismantles itself from within.
Within this fragile environment stands Kandeh Yumkella, often described as the prodigal son. His return to the SLPP should have been an opportunity for reconciliation, strategic depth, and ideological renewal. Instead, it has introduced another layer of tension. Yumkella represents experience, global exposure, and ambition, a combination that unsettles a party already struggling with internal balance. His presence raises unresolved questions about loyalty, succession, and intent. Rather than being integrated through transparent dialogue and clearly defined roles, his positioning has been left ambiguous, allowing suspicion to thrive.
Alongside him is David Sengeh, energetic, visible, and polarising. To some, he represents innovation and youth. To others, he embodies haste, elitism, and a disregard for party tradition. His rapid rise and perceived alignment with powerful interests have unsettled long-standing members who feel bypassed and ignored. Generational renewal is necessary, but when it is imposed rather than negotiated, it creates resistance rather than progress.
The President himself has cautioned against allowing internal differences to harden into hostility.
| “Politics is not war. Debate is not destruction. Disagreement is not betrayal. We are not gathered here as factions, but as one family, united in purpose.”
This sentiment speaks to the soul of party politics. Yet families cannot survive on declarations alone. Families endure through fairness, boundaries, and mutual respect. Where favouritism is perceived, unity becomes rhetoric rather than reality. Where fear replaces dialogue, silence becomes the dominant language.
In contrast to the surrounding turbulence, the Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has maintained a calm and measured posture. His restraint stands out sharply. Yet calm alone does not resolve institutional drift. Silence, even when dignified, can be mistaken for acceptance. Many within the party look to him as a stabilising figure, yet stability requires engagement as well as composure. In moments of uncertainty, leadership must be visible, not merely present.
At the grassroots level, misunderstanding dominates. Party supporters struggle to interpret conflicting signals from leadership. They hear calls for unity while witnessing division. They are urged to mobilise without clarity about purpose or direction. This confusion breeds fatigue and apathy, weakening the very foundation upon which the party depends. Grassroots supporters do not demand perfection. They demand honesty and clarity.
The issue of flagbearer succession has further exposed these contradictions. President Bio himself urged discipline and strategic thinking.
| “Let us not allow emotions or sentiments to drive our actions. Let’s put sentiments aside and vote for the next flagbearer of the SLPP, the person who will become the next President of Sierra Leone.”
This warning acknowledges the gravity of succession. Yet the tolerance of premature flagbearer positioning undermines the guidance he articulated. Allowing ambition to run ahead of process accelerates factional tension and weakens party cohesion at a critical moment.
While the ruling party wrestles with itself, the opposition APC has failed to capitalise. Rather than presenting a disciplined and credible alternative, it remains uncertain and reactive. Its leadership appears unsure whether to confront, cooperate, or simply wait. Internal contradictions and unresolved legacy issues prevent it from effectively undercutting the SLPP. As a result, the ruling party’s internal crisis has not yet translated into a decisive external challenge.
More troubling than party infighting is the growing politicisation of state institutions. Governance reform mechanisms, the judiciary, the Anti-Corruption Commission, audit services, and the security apparatus are increasingly perceived as politically aligned rather than neutral. When institutions meant to safeguard democracy are drawn into partisan battles, public trust erodes. Citizens lose faith not only in parties but also in the state itself.
Traditional leaders, elders, and key stakeholders have largely observed from the sidelines, offering quiet counsel that goes unheeded. Their moral authority is acknowledged in speeches but ignored in practice. The international community watches cautiously, aware that stability without accountability is fragile and temporary.
The SLPP must understand that this dance is dangerous not because of opposition pressure, but because of internal neglect. Parties do not collapse only when they lose elections. They collapse when they lose coherence, discipline, and moral direction. Leadership must be restored through fairness, restraint, and respect for institutions. Rules must mean something. Boundaries must be enforced. Influence must be restrained.
The music is still playing, but the floor is cracking. The choice before the SLPP is clear. Change the dance, or be consumed by it.
