The Centre for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) has initiated an online public opinion poll seeking to gauge perceptions of leadership competence within Sierra Leone’s two major political parties, the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
The polls, published on CHRDI’s WhatsApp channel, ask participants to identify political figures within both parties whom they believe possess the vision, competence and capacity to address Sierra Leone’s economic crisis and public social challenges.
Rather than focusing solely on electoral popularity, the questions challenge respondents to consider which potential leaders have the ability not only to win elections but also to govern effectively and deliver tangible results.
For the APC, the poll features several prominent political figures, including Ady Macauley, Ambassador Alimamy Kamara, Bai Mamoud Bangura, Cherno Ramadan Bah, popularly known as Chericoco, Dr Ibrahim Bangura, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara (JFK), Dr Kaifala Marah, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mohamed Omodu Kamara (Jagaban), Dr Richard Konteh, Sam-Sumana and Abdel O Timbo.
The figures recorded at the time of the screenshots showed varying levels of selections, with Chericoco receiving 801, Ady Macauley 445, JFK 427, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr 425, Dr Ibrahim Bangura 288, Jagaban 232, Bai Mamoud Bangura 159, Dr Kaifala Marah 85, Sam-Sumana 61, Abdel O Timbo 46, Dr Richard Konteh 23 and Ambassador Alimamy Kamara 18.
The SLPP poll similarly features prominent figures within the governing party, including Dr Alie Kabba, Alpha Timbo, Dr David Moinina Sengeh, Francis Ben Kaifala, Fatima Maada Bio, John Oponjo Benjamin, Dr Kandeh Yumkella, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Timothy Musa Kabba, Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie and Dr Prince Alex Harding.
At the time of the screenshots, Dr David Moinina Sengeh had received 172 selections, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh 84, Fatima Maada Bio 39, Timothy Musa Kabba 35, Francis Ben Kaifala 30, Dr Kandeh Yumkella 29, Dr Alie Kabba 27, Alpha Timbo 11, John Oponjo Benjamin 11, Sidie Mohamed Tunis 10, Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie eight and Dr Prince Alex Harding three.
CHRDI’s questions place particular emphasis on the relationship between political leadership, economic management, public service delivery and the capacity to address the country’s persistent development challenges.
The exercise comes at a time when political conversations are increasingly centred on the future direction of both parties, their leadership options and the qualities required to provide effective governance in Sierra Leone.
However, the figures currently displayed should be understood as preliminary engagement on CHRDI’s WhatsApp platform, not a definitive ranking of political popularity or a scientific prediction of future electoral outcomes. The polls allow participants to select more than one candidate, while details concerning the number and geographical distribution of respondents and the methodology used have not been provided in the published screenshots.
As participation continues, the results may change. The broader significance of the exercise lies in the questions it raises about what Sierra Leoneans expect from political leadership: a credible economic vision, competence, integrity, national cohesion and the ability to translate promises into measurable improvements in people’s lives.
Source: Centre for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI), WhatsApp Channel.
