By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Mr. President, what a sham again against the people of Sierra Leone, what a scam you have perpetrated once more. How dare you sell gift rice to the people, presenting it as if it were the product of your so-called Tumabum Rice Project or the FEED SALONE initiative? Mr. President, with the chaos you and your government have created in this land, you have the audacity to fool the world into believing that your fraudulent FEED SALONE Project is yielding results. Yet, we all know that not a single grain of the rice you are auctioning came from the lies you package under the banner of your so-called BIG FIVE Projects.
Mr. President, the deceit is unbearable, the dishonesty unforgivable. You continue to mislead the people with grand promises, yet their suffering deepens. Every day, families struggle to put food on their tables, children are forced out of school because their parents cannot afford fees, and the cost of living skyrockets while you and your allies live in obscene luxury. The people of Sierra Leone are tired, Mr. President. The people are weary of falsehoods, deceit, and a leadership that puts their own interests ahead of the well-being of the citizens.
Beyond the economic hardships, your conduct, Mr. President, and that of your household have become a national embarrassment. Your arrogance, your wife’s rudeness towards your own ministers, her public insults to those who serve under you—do you even consider what message that sends to the people? Your wife told the Chief Minister to go and develop his own hometown rather than Kono, as if national leadership should be reduced to tribal sentiments. Such divisive rhetoric, such reckless words from the first lady, only deepen the fractures in our nation. How can we move forward when even your wife, the leader of this country, stokes the flames of division?
Mr. President, how come we all know about the incident involving the First Lady assaulting Dr. David Moinina Sengeh on one of your official trips? We also know that you have been physically assaulting your wife for quite some time now. Do you think the walls of the State Lodge are thick enough to conceal the truth? They are not. The people know what transpires behind those walls. And if the seat of power is a place of turmoil, what hope does the rest of the country have? Mr. President, domestic disputes should not be a matter of state concern, but when they involve those who wield power and influence over the lives of millions, they become a matter of public interest. The people demand accountability; they demand honesty; they demand leadership worthy of respect.
And then there is the Jos Leijdekkers saga. Mr. President, we are still waiting for you to address the nation about how this individual, an international criminal, was able to obtain Sierra Leonean citizenship. How did this happen under your watch? Who facilitated it? Who benefited? The people deserve answers, and you must go beyond the current extradition process with the Netherlands; you must institute an independent investigation. Sierra Leone has suffered enough under the weight of corruption and criminal infiltration into our institutions. This is not just about one man; it is about the integrity of our nation. Who else has been granted our sacred citizenship for the right price? How many other criminals and fraudsters are using our passport as a shield for their crimes? We need full transparency, and we will accept nothing less.
And what of KONO HOLDINGS LTD? There are growing concerns that you have personally directed your wife to go after this entity. Is this true, Mr. President? The people need clarification. They need to know if the presidency is being used as a tool for personal vendettas and private gain. The First Lady has shown time and again that she wields unchecked power, speaking and
acting in ways unbecoming of her position. But let this be clear: the government of Sierra Leone does not belong to Fatima Bio. It belongs to the people. Even those ministers you appointed, you did so in our name, and they were approved by our Parliament. They are not her servants. They are not her subordinates. Yet, she continues to speak down to them, to belittle them, to wield authority she does not constitutionally possess. Mr. President, this must stop.
The people of Sierra Leone are struggling, suffering through daily hardships, while you and your family live in privilege. Nothing in this country is working in the interests of the people. Only you, your inner circle, and those who choose to be deaf, dumb, and blind to reality continue to benefit. The roads are in disrepair, healthcare is in crisis, and job opportunities are non-existent. Yet, you find the time and resources for yet another unnecessary international trip, this time to Barbados. Mr. President, let this be your last. The nation is running out of resources, and we are running out of patience. “Wi Don Taya Fo See Yu Up En Dong.”
We have had enough, Mr. President. Sierra Leone deserves better. The people deserve a leader who truly cares about their well-being, not one who prioritizes image over impact, deception over development, and personal gain over national progress. Mr. President, take heed. Change your course. Be the leader this nation needs before it is too late.
