Mohamed Aruna, Freetown, Sierra Leone. February 10, 2024.

Pastor Mohamed Sesay, a newspaper publisher and member of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), has criticized Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative for Climate change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, for his alleged early campaign for the flagbearership of the ruling party ahead of 2028 elections.

Sesay said that he was “very disturbed” to see a banner on social media with the words “SLPP flagbearer 2028 Dr Kandeh K Yumkella for flagbearer” boldly emblazoned. He said that he saw the banner as a “betrayal” to the presidency which appointed Yumkella to a position “bigger than that of a Cabinet Minister.”

Sesay also questioned why Yumkella could not “give the Government the chance to rule” before thinking about running for flagbearer. He said that it was “strange” that Yumkella, who had previously campaigned against the SLPP, would now want to lead the party.

“I asked myself how any individual could be so mean to begin to think of being flagbearer at a time when his excellency President Bio has not even completed a year in his 2nd term.

“Strange that Kandeh Yumkella of NGC fame, is in such a hurry to become flagbearer of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, a party which he was so against, he contested and campaigned against it with the hope that the SLPP and President Bio will lose the 2018 General Elections.

“But as God Almighty would have it, both SLPP and President Bio won.”

Sesay called on Yumkella to “revert” and allow the president to run the country in peace. He also said that the party should focus on its work and not on the 2028 election.