Fire on the mountain… SLPP VS ‘Paopa’

Sources close to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) have informed this medium that the party is currently grappling with an internal rift that has the tendency to threaten and undermine its cohesion efforts ahead of the rerun of the lower level elections due to what he referred to the desperate move of the ‘Paopa fraction’ to ensure that its loyalists occupy senior positions in the party. They further disclosed that, this factional dispute, which has been simmering beneath the surface for years, came to the fore during the ongoing lower-level elections, where tensions between supporters of the official SLPP leadership and the Paopa group led to multiple disruptions and parallel activities in several districts. Sources within the party suggest that the rift centers around competing visions for the party’s direction and allegations of marginalization of long-serving members. Party insiders describe the situation as “delicate,” warning that failure to resolve the impasse could fracture the SLPP’s grassroots base and impact national unity within the party. “We are not against the leadership, but we want fairness and a voice at the table,” said our source who preferred anonymity. “The party is for all of us, not a selected few,” he added. However, our sources added that, efforts are reportedly underway behind closed doors to mediate between the two sides. “Party elders, regional chairpersons, and influential stakeholders have begun consultations aimed at bridging the gap and bringing both camps back to the negotiation table,” they further disclosed. Political observers caution that the ongoing divide could pose serious implications for the party’s performance in future elections if not resolved promptly and amicably. They emphasize the need for dialogue, fairness, and compromise to preserve the legacy and political dominance of the SLPP. As the party navigates this internal storm, many within the SLPP grassroots are calling for a return to the party’s founding values of inclusivity, discipline, and democratic participation. Whether the SLPP can overcome this internal test remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: the road to unity will require more listening, less finger-pointing, and a genuine commitment to healing internal wounds.