Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Sierra Leone stands at a historic turning point, with peace and economic stability offering renewed hope for the future. According to the Presidential Spokesman, Hon. Dr. Alpha Kanu, inclusive governance through power sharing remains the most reliable guarantee of lasting peace and prosperity for every Sierra Leonean.
In his remarks, Dr. Alpha Kanu highlighted the country’s impressive performance in the 2025 Global Peace Index, where Sierra Leone ranks 57th; one of the most peaceful nations in Africa. That position stands in stark contrast with regional neighbors: Liberia at 70th, Guinea at 122nd and Nigeria at 147th.
“Our streets are calmer, our highways safer and the threat of violent demonstrations has eased,” he affirmed, pointing to the country’s significant progress in national stability.
Alongside peace, Sierra Leone’s economy is stabilizing. Inflation, which soared to 54% in December 2024, has now dropped to 7.6%. Increased local production of staple foods such as rice, cassava and onions has led to a 30% reduction in food prices.
“These are not just statistics,” Dr. Alpha Kanu stressed. “For the market woman, the farmer and the family struggling to provide three meals a day, these numbers mean survival.”
While acknowledging those gains, Dr. Alpha Kanu posed a critical question: How do we ensure progress lasts and prevent a return to crisis? His answer lies in political reform.
He emphasized that Sierra Leone’s current First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system disproportionately favors larger parties, leaving many communities marginalized. That, he said, fosters mistrust and sometimes violence.
By contrast, Proportional Representation (PR) combined with structured power sharing, known as consociationalism, ensures every vote counts and every community is represented. “No Sierra Leonean should feel excluded from national decision-making,” Dr. Alpha Kanu declared.
Citing international examples, the Presidential Spokesman noted that power sharing has successfully stabilized nations once torn apart by conflict. The Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, Belgium and Switzerland’s consociational systems, South Africa’s post-apartheid model and power-sharing frameworks in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Lebanon were highlighted as proven successes.
“If it worked for them, it can work for us,” he said.
Dr. Alpha Kanu further argued that in times of conflict, political elites often have the means to flee abroad, leaving ordinary citizens behind to face the consequences.
“It is the farmer in Kono, the trader in Bo, the student in Makeni and the nurse in Kenema who suffer bullets, burned markets and destroyed homes,” he warned. “Power sharing is not about politicians sitting comfortably in parliament, it is about protecting the people who pay the highest price when politics fails.”
The Presidential Spokesman urged Sierra Leoneans to see beyond partisan divides, stressing that the country’s survival and prosperity depend on designing a political system that includes everyone.
“This is bigger than Party A or Party B,” he said. “It is about Sierra Leone’s survival, our children’s future and the generations yet unborn.”
Dr. Alpha Kanu concluded with a message of hope and urgency: “Peace is priceless. Prosperity is possible. Power sharing protects us all.”
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