By Marcus Bangura
As Sierra Leone marks its 64th years of independence, the Citizens Advocacy Network (CAN) has released a powerful, bold and urgent press statement, declaring that there is little to celebrate. CAN confronted the nation’s leadership with a harsh impeccable truth, exposing the deep-rooted failures of governance. While most nations would commemorate such an anniversary with pride, CAN calls for reflection, resistance, and reckoning for a nation not just struggling, but unraveling.
CAN urges reflection on the country’s progress which has been crippled by decades of corruption, mismanagement, institutional decay, betrayal and failed leadership that has left millions in poverty and despair. It identifies the core of the problem as leadership failure—chronic, systemic, and bipartisan. From the looting of national resources to the breakdown of essential services, Sierra Leone’s challenges are deeply rooted in governance that prioritizes power over people. Despite the country’s natural wealth, most citizens still lack basic services like electricity, clean water, and healthcare. The 2025 UN World Happiness Report ranks Sierra Leone near the bottom globally, highlighting deep-rooted societal hardship.
By and large, this document is more than a statement, it is a rallying cry for accountability, justice, and national renewal. CAN calls on every Sierra Leonean to reflect, resist, and rise as the country approaches a critical crossroad in its democratic journey.
Over and above ‘‘The current government bears the heaviest blame for plunging Sierra Leone into its darkest hour’’ stated CAN.
The organization’s message is clear, Sierra Leone is in crisis, and the blame lies squarely at the feet of a political class that has failed its people for over six decades. Ultimately, the press release is not just an indictment—it is a call to action for accountability, reform, and national renewal.
Below is the full text of CAN’s press release:
SIERRA LEONE AT 64: A NATION BETRAYED BY DECADES OF CORRUPT AND POOR LEADERSHIP
Citizens Advocacy Network (hereinafter referred to as CAN) salutes Mama Salone on her 64th independence anniversary, but this milestone is no cause for celebration. It is a moment to confront the brutal truth: Sierra Leone is a nation that has been betrayed by decades of corrupt and poor leadership. Successive governments have plundered our wealth and squandered our potential, leaving generations to languish without electricity, clean water, a functioning healthcare system and other basic social amenities. The 2025 UN World Happiness Report ranks us second from bottom – a damning indictment of the leadership curse that compounds our resource curse.
The current government bears the heaviest blame for plunging Sierra Leone into its darkest hour. Under their watch, the deadly drug epidemic fuelled by “Kush” – a toxic blend of marijuana, fentanyl, and tramadol – has ravaged our youth, claiming countless lives and prompting a hollow national emergency declaration. This administration’s negligence has turned Sierra Leone into a narco-state, with credible international reports branding us a hub for cross-border drug trafficking and a sanctuary for convicted drug lords. Their inaction is not just a failure; it is complicity.
For 34 years, our multi-party democracy has been a sham, poisoned by the vindictive cycle of tit-for-tat politics between the two dominant parties. This toxic environment has choked progress, while the current regime tightens its grip through oppressive laws to silence dissent. Our justice system, once a pillar of hope, has collapsed into a tool of the ruling elite, distrusted by the majority. The Auditor General’s reports lay bare the government’s refusal to tackle rampant corruption, which festers like an open wound.
Sierra Leone also reels from environmental chaos – floods, landslides, and a staggering 201 fire outbreaks in just the first 90 days of 2025, as reported by Chief Fire Officer Nazir Kamanda Bongay. Even State House, the seat of power, was not spared, engulfed in flames in a poetic symbol of this administration’s failures. These are not mere accidents; they are the consequences of a government that has abandoned its people.
Enough is enough. CAN demands accountability and action. We call on every Sierra Leonean to rise up, reclaim our nation, and reject the apathy that has allowed this betrayal to persist. As the 2028 elections loom, we will relentlessly challenge candidates and parties, holding them to the fire until they deliver on our people’s aspirations. The time for empty promises is over. Mama Salone deserves better – she deserves a revolution of conscience and courage.
Happy birthday to the land we will fight to save!
God bless Sierra Leone !
