CSO Exposes Govt’s Failures
As Sierra Leone marked its 64th Independence Day, a reputable Civil Society Organization (CSO) has issued a powerful and provocative statement, calling the occasion “no cause for celebration”. “The time for empty promises is over,” CAN declared, vowing to hold political candidates accountable ahead of the 2028 elections. The group called on citizens to “rise up, reclaim our nation, and reject the apathy” that has allowed misrule to thrive. Citizens Advocacy Network (CAN) went on by condemning successive governments for decades of corruption, mismanagement, and systemic failure. In a press release titled “Sierra Leone at 64: A Nation Betrayed by Decades of Corrupt and Poor Leadership,” CAN painted a bleak picture of the nation’s condition, citing widespread poverty, the collapse of basic services, and an erosion of democratic institutions. The organization attributed much of the blame to what it described as a “leadership curse” that has plagued the country since independence. “The 2025 UN World Happiness Report ranks us second from bottom,” CAN stated, calling the statistic “a damning indictment” of poor governance. The advocacy group pointed specifically to the current administration’s handling of the drug crisis involving “Kush” — a deadly synthetic cocktail ravaging young people — and described the government’s response as negligent and complicit. The statement also criticized Sierra Leone’s democratic system, labeling it a “sham” marred by cycles of political retaliation between the two main parties. CAN claimed the judiciary has become a partisan tool and that recent laws are being weaponized to suppress dissent and civil liberties. Environmental crises, too, were cited as evidence of state failure. CAN referenced 201 fire outbreaks in the first quarter of 2025 alone, including one that engulfed State House — an incident it described as “a poetic symbol” of the administration’s shortcomings.
