Sewa News Stream

In December 1992, Salami Coker was working as an admin manager at the Ports Authority of Sierra Leone. Salami was born to Alieu Badara Coker and Maimuna Ayoub on November 22, 1945. He attended primary school in the east end of Freetown and later went to CMS Grammar School. According to his mother, Salami helped support his family as a boy by selling akara , sardines, sugar, and butter. He excelled in sports, becoming an athlete, boxer, and champion weightlifter. After graduating from the East 15 Acting School, now affiliated with the University of Essex, Salami made significant contributions to theater, television, and film. He later became a member of RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom. Salami wrote, directed, and acted in various theaters across the U.K., as well as local theaters in Sierra Leone. His peers included the playwright and poet Amadu Pat Mahdi. He gained international recognition when selected to act in award-winnin...

This Christmas season, Sierra Leone witnessed another unsettling situation involving its president, who took the controversial step of ordering the arrest of a pop culture icon.  Known for her vibrant presence, Hawa Hunt  was detained on live television over alleged libel associated with a statement made public years ago. Just days after her arrest, Hawa appeared on camera expressing regret. She emphasized her intent to channel her energies into mental health services, imploring her supporters to rally behind her vision. This situation echoes a similar incident from four Christmases ago when another popular cultural figure was under scrutiny from the administration. Police surrounded Sylvia Blyden 's residence with overwhelming force in response to a social media post she made years prior. Blyden faced multiple arrests until she relented and apologized for her comments regarding Julius Maada Bio's military promotions. Even after this apology, reports suggested that armed indi...

In 2023, Hawa Hunt, a popular musician and social commentator, made a striking statement on camera about Maada Bio, Sierra Leone's controversial president.  In the nearly five-minute video , which went viral on social media, Hawa Hunt spoke in Krio, and we've translated key excerpts of her comments into English:  "The man has big guts! He stood up a week ago when Zainab Sherriff accused him of being a killer. They took her away and locked her up. He’s not my president. I’ve told you that Sierra Leone doesn’t have a president. For the past five years, Sierra Leone hasn’t had a president. I see a small child in a bug's skirt jumping around." In retaliation, Maada Bio ordered Hawa Hunt's arrest while she was participating as a contestant in a reality television show, which was broadcast live . This act drew swift condemnation from many. Human rights lawyer Ady Macauley stated, "Arresting someone on live television is a new low, but it's not surprising. ...

  Alarming videos of migrants in distress in Guinea circulated on social media a few days before International Migrants Day. Reports say the Sierra Leone embassy in Guinea discredited the videos being shared on social media. One showed a mob hurling stones at the bodies of severely injured people and setting them alight. Other videos showed Sierra Leonean migrants being assaulted. The situation was so dire that events on the ground precipitated the visit of a Special Envoy to Sierra Leone . According to local news media, Maada Bio expressed his concerns regarding the "poor treatment" of Sierra Leoneans in neighboring Guinea. Ironically, Maada Bio, who's espoused violence in his bid to eliminate all seeking to halt dangerous policies, is now  complaining about the "poor treatment of #SierraLeoneans."  It's a bit rich for him to say migrants in Guinea should return when his cabinet is half-Guinean. Can Sierra Leone and Guinea " make migration work " ...

Disturbing video footage on social media shows Guineans smashing rocks and huge boulders onto the bodies of people lying on the road. Worrisome footage shows several people looking demonstrably lifeless in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Despite coming into close contact with the gruesome scene, a young boy and several pedestrians are captured strolling past the violence on the street, which commenters believe may be located in Conakry. The bizarre footage mimics an incident in South Africa , where scores of migrant Africans were assaulted or killed, news wires reported at the time. There have been no public statements following the raid on migrant settlements, resulting in unknown Sierra Leonean fatalities. 

Mohamed Sorie Forna, a medical doctor who later became a politician, was executed in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on July 19, 1975. Below are excerpts from one of the last letters Forna wrote to Siaka Stevens, who was Sierra Leone's Prime Minister from 1967 to 1971 and President from 1971 to 1985. In his letter, Forna emphasized that when a single individual holds exclusive control over state power, it undermines democracy, centralizes authority, and poses a threat to freedom and justice. Dear Prime Minister, In 1967, Sir Albert brought this country to the brink of political and economic disaster. All right thinking people realized that Sir Albert’s insatiable desire for power and wealth spelt chaos and complete disruption of our social fabric. What he wanted to impose upon this nation was a one-man dictatorship, shrouded by a fraudulent Republican Constitution that concentrated all powers in the hands of a single person. In view of this menace to personal freedom and economic stability...

  Executive Summary Since 2007, Sierra Leone has embarked on a transformative journey with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). This independent U.S. foreign aid agency provides large-scale financial help to countries, proving a commitment to democratic governance, economic freedom, and investment in people. This engagement has spanned over a decade of shifting political landscapes, governance reforms, and public sector transformations.   In the first stages of this relationship, a dedicated committee of Sierra Leonean leaders and stakeholders was set up in the diaspora, playing a crucial role in navigating the country’s early involvement with the MCC. This committee, making up a cross-section of experts and civil society representatives, was instrumental in ensuring that Sierra Leone's governance reforms aligned with the MCC’s strict requirements. Our efforts focused on fostering transparency, improving public sector management, and addressing long-standing gover...