Dibouti’s Abdou Rachid Awale Elmi Proud Winner of Inaugural SLMA 2km Marathon
APC’S RHETORIC IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR ACTION – DEFEND THE
PEOPLE’S STOLEN 2023 MANDATE
Today the Sierra Leone Advocacy Movement-Global (SLAM-GLOBAL) condemns the All People’s Congress (APC) for its October 2, 2025 press release attacking proposed electoral reforms. That statement thundered that the ruling SLPP was trying to “trample on democracy” and dismissed Proportional Representation (PR) changes as a “brazen attempt by the government to run over our democracy”. But SLAM-GLOBAL points out that these arguments are empty rhetoric. They ignore the true source of Sierra Leone’s crisis: the stolen June 2023 elections, which remain unresolved. A year ago the APC itself decried that vote as a “daylight robbery of the will of the people”, yet today it shies away from that fight. Proportional-representation debates cannot fix a fraudulently counted mandate. SLAM-GLOBAL calls on APC to stop issuing slick press statements and start mobilizing citizens for peaceful, lawful demonstrations to demand justice for June 2023.
A National Crisis Rooted in the Stolen 2023 Vote: The crisis gripping Sierra Leone today began in June 2023, when the integrity of the presidential election collapsed in violence and repression. On June 25, 2023, government forces surrounded the APC headquarters in Freetown and opened fire. Sixty-four-year-old nurse and APC volunteer Mahawa Dumbuya was shot in the head at point-blank range and killed during a live press conference. Eyewitnesses described teargas and bullets raining on people who were lying on the floor, as the military shattered windows and slashed tires in an hour-long assault. Even Mr Bio’s own Human Rights Adviser later admitted that “police killed four APC supporters in the town of Masiaka” on June 26, 2023. Reports also circulated that dozens were shot or beaten in Lunsar, Port Loko, and beyond. In the aftermath, hundreds of opposition supporters were detained or simply disappeared. SLAM- GLOBAL has documented 318 names submitted by APC for release, of whom the Bio administration’s Chief Minister acknowledged only 15 actually in custody. Three hundred and three (303) remain unaccounted for.
These are not mere statistics – they are Sierra Leoneans whose lives were shattered for daring to exercise their rights. One surviving relative, 26-year-old Ibrahim Conceh, watched his mother die that night and later declared, “She died for a righteous cause. Until her last breath she was administering care for injured people. I want justice.”. People like Conteh believed in the democratic mandate of June 2023. They expected the APC to fight for accountability. Instead, a year of demands has passed with little action. How can APC now posture about constitutional technicalities when the blood of voters cries out for justice?
SLAM-GLOBAL notes that these violent events coincided with worsening economic collapse. At the very time the June election was held, families were already sinking in poverty. The World Bank notes that Sierra Leone “still bears its post-conflict attributes of high youth unemployment, corruption, and weak governance.” Millions of Sierra Leoneans wonder daily how to feed their children. As one women’s organizer put it, “We the women are the worst sufferers because we take care of our homes… our husbands have lost their jobs and the few who are working seldom receive their wages on time. So, today we are coming to tell our President… that things are getting worse every day for Sierra Leoneans.” Her words echo markets across the country. Youths, too, see no future. One report found that “youth joblessness [is] as high as 60 percent” and over a quarter of the population lives in poverty. With no jobs and a collapsing economy, thousands of young people have tragically fallen into addiction. Sierra Leone’s streets are now flooded with synthetic “Kush” – a highly addictive narcotic which Mr Bio has warned is an “existential crisis” destroying the nation’s youth. As a local aid worker observed, many youngsters have “gotten hooked on Kush to blot out issues such as unemployment, poverty, and depression”. The despair is palpable: “The cost of living is so expensive… with those challenges, it is easy for people to fall into depression,” she said.
The drug epidemic ravaging Sierra Leone is no longer a street problem – it is a national emergency enabled by political corruption. The same stolen mandate that silenced the people has also opened the floodgates for narcotics and human destruction. From port security to diplomatic channels, the machinery of the state has been repurposed to protect traffickers instead of the nation’s children. Kush, cocaine, and corruption now move together.
As the U.S. intensifies its global crackdown on narcotics under the new drug law enforcement initiatives, we hope Washington is also watching Sierra Leone – a country where drugs flow as freely as impunity. Our youth are dying, our hospitals are overwhelmed, and our communities are disintegrating under a government that turns a blind eye, or worse, profits from the poison. This is not just moral failure; it is national suicide.
These economic and social wounds bleed into the political arena. Market women and youth rightly ask: “Where is our fight for justice”? Instead of addressing these crises, the APC’s 2025 statement turned to abstract constitutional arguments. It talked about
preserving the First-Past-the-Post system and warned that PR would lead to one-party rule. Even citing Resolution 78, APC claimed an “overwhelming consensus” favored old boundaries. All along, its leaders have fought on paper, not in the streets. SLAM-GLOBAL warns that fancy legalese and press releases cannot replace genuine leadership. Where is the APC mobilizing rallies in Freetown or Bo? Where are the peaceful marches demanding answers? Today’s APC is a toothless tiger – once fierce and action-oriented, now sitting quietly by while the people suffer.
Voices of the People: Disillusionment and Demand for Action – Across Sierra Leone, citizens express deep frustration and a hunger for real action. Market traders and mothers who believed in change are now angry and disappointed. One frustrated woman – speaking for many – explained: “We will march peacefully on the streets around the country to demonstrate our unhappiness,” emphasizing that only visible, peaceful protest can awaken the government’s conscience. Youth activists say that idle hands and hopeless minds are being lost: “We used to have mining companies in Sierra Leone which engaged these young people, but because of the economy most of them closed,” said one observer. “And an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” That same activist noted bleakly, “the young people … just want to forget about what they see as a lack of a future.” These are not abstract grievances – they are Sierra Leone’s future slipping away.
SLAM-GLOBAL also recalls the blood spilled for democracy. Mahawa Dumbuya’s death means something to real people, not to party statisticians. Her son Ibrahim’s plea – “find the killer… I want justice” – resonates with thousands whose loved ones were detained or slain after voting in good faith. Today those voices are still crying out. SLAM-GLOBAL demands that the APC, whose credibility once rivalled its rival SLPP, must hear them. The people who “will not forget” what happened on June 24, 2023 expect more than another statement. They expect action.
Schools Idle, Futures Stalled: Teachers’ Strike Exposes the Crisis – While the APC debates constitutional models, Sierra Leone’s classrooms lie empty. On September 8, 2025, the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) launched a nationwide strike over unpaid subsidies, suspended salaries, and broken promises. The strike spread rapidly, affecting schools across Kono, Bo, Freetown, Port Loko, and beyond. Though the union later suspended the strike and ordered teachers back to class on September 15 after minimal concessions from government officials, the damage is done.
Thousands of students lost crucial learning days. In towns like Kenema and Makeni, entire grades cannot catch up. The nation’s future leaders – children whose minds should be shaping tomorrow – are suspended in a void of neglect. As one mother crying for her child’s education put it: “We sent them to school believing in change. Now they return with nothing but disappointment.”
This is not just a labor dispute – it is proof that governance has collapsed. When teachers cannot be paid and students cannot attend class, the state is failing its most basic duty. The APC’s press statements about electoral reform are meaningless in the face of this unfolding educational crisis. If you cannot govern today, who will govern tomorrow?
Rallying Cry: Stop Words, Mobilize Peaceful Protests – SLAM-GLOBAL stands as the conscience of these people. We demand that APC stop issuing empty words and start organizing. Stop letter-writing and legal arguments – start mobilizing peaceful, lawful demonstrations in every district to defend the people’s stolen mandate. Sierra Leone’s youth and mothers did not suffer to hear slogans; they demand accountability. The APC was founded on courage and principle, a legacy it now risks betraying. We call on APC leadership to re-embrace that legacy – to fight injustice vigorously, as they once did, and to unite Sierra Leoneans in truth and nonviolent action.
U.S. Visa Restrictions: A Warning Shot to Sierra Leone’s Leadership – SLAM- GLOBAL notes the recent U.S. visa restrictions placed on Sierra Leonean officials implicated in election-related misconduct and corruption. This unprecedented action underscores what Sierra Leoneans have long been saying – impunity has international consequences. When a government manipulates elections, silences opposition, and weaponizes institutions for personal gain, the world will not stand idly by. The United States’ decision is not an isolated move; it is a direct signal that Sierra Leone’s political decay is now a matter of global concern.
We urge all international partners – the EU, UK, ECOWAS, and AU – to take note and follow suit. It should never take foreign governments to remind us that justice begins at home. The APC, the ruling SLPP, and all Sierra Leonean leaders must recognize: the credibility of our democracy determines our nation’s standing in the world.
A Call to the International Community: Don’t Look Away – SLAM-GLOBAL calls on the international community – the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, ECOWAS, AU, and United Nations – to act with urgency. Sanctions and visa restrictions are only the first step. The world must demand transparency over Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections, accountability for state-enabled drug trafficking, and protection for citizens who speak out.
Our children are dying now. Families are breaking under the weight of addiction, unemployment, and repression. A stolen mandate has given birth to a narco-state. The silence of global actors will not be seen as neutrality – it will be remembered as complicity. Sierra Leone needs more than sympathy; it needs international vigilance and pressure to rescue its democracy and its future.
This SLAM-GLOBAL Press Statement ends with a firm demand: Defend the People’s Mandate! The real fight is not over proportional representation or bureaucratic tweaks – it is over the sanctity of democracy itself. Let the APC show that it stands with the people by leading peaceful protests and demanding transparency. Sierra Leoneans who were willing to die for democracy have earned no less. The country is watching: empty rhetoric is no longer acceptable. The time for bold, principled action is now.
SLAM-GLOBAL – We Speak for the Voiceless
P.S. We invite you to explore our recently published analysis in a book, “Building a Nation: Good Governance and Democratic Principles in Sierra Leone.” As we unite for change in 2025, this resource provides valuable insights for activists, policymakers, and concerned citizens committed to Sierra Leone’s transformation. Find it here: link.
CC:
” State Dept Press Operations
” Office of Press Operations, U.S. State Department
” Office of the Chairman, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
” Office of the President of Sierra Leone
” Office of the Vice President of Sierra Leone
” Speaker of the Sierra Leone House of Parliament
” Office of the Chief Minister of the Government of Sierra Leone
” Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL)
” Inspector General of Sierra Leone Police
” Chief of Defence Staff, Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)
” Office of National Security, Sierra Leone
” Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion
” Leonardo Santos Simao, Representative of the Secretary-General & Head of UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)
” African Union (AU)
” Amnesty International
” Marco Rubio, United States Secretary of State
” Vice President, Congressional and Public Affairs
” The Commonwealth Secretary-General
” Karim Ahmad Khan, Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC)
” Richard YOUNG, Chief de Division, Afrique de l’Ouest
” Ms. Ursula Von Der Lyen, European Commissioner
” The United Nations Representative in Sierra Leone
” H. E. Oumar Touray, President of ECOWAS Commission
” Madam Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, former VP of The Gambia
” H.E Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
” H.E John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana
” H. E. Bassiru Faye, President of Senegal
” H.E Adama Barro, President of The Gambia
” H.E. Mamadi Doumbouya, President of Guinea
” H.E. Joseph Boakai, President of Liberia
” H.E Alassane Ouattara, President of Ivory Coast
” H.E Jean-Lucien Savi de Tove, President of the Togolese Republic
” David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Dev Affairs, UK
” Neil Alan John Coyle, MP for Bermondsey & Old Southwark, UK
” Ambassador Aly Diallo, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to the UK&I
” Ambassador Mohammad Maidugu, Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria in the UK&I
” Her Excellency Dr Fatou Bensouda, Head of Mission, The Gambia high Commission, UK&I
” H.E Fatimata Dia, Ambassador of Senegal to the UK&I
” H.E Gurly T. Gibson-Schwarz, Ambassador of Liberia to the UK&I
” Her Excellency Josephine Gauld, British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of the United States of America to Sierra Leone
” Head of the European Union Delegation in Sierra Leone
” General Consul of Canada in Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of China to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Germany to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Lebanon to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Iran to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Brazil to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Sweden to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Libya to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Egypt to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Cuba to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Guinea to Sierra Leone
” Ambassador of Liberia to Sierra Leone
” High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Sierra Leone
” High Commissioner of Ghana to Sierra Leone
” High Commissioner of The Gambia to Sierra Leone
” General Consul of Italy in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of Ireland in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul-General of India to Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Senegal in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Syria in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Turkey in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Mali in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Romania in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Norway in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Hungary in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of France in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Belgium in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of The Netherlands in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Spain in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Serbia in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Austria in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Denmark in Sierra Leone
” Honorary Consul of Russia in Sierra Leone
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