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The daily price of living under an insulated political class funded by foreign drug money

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Europe is trying to capture Jos Leijdekkers and curb West African trafficking, but faces severe diplomatic barriers, sovereign immunity limits, and high-level political protection. European nations cannot seize suspects or police foreign sovereign soil without violating international law, and when host governments are uncooperative or compromised, law enforcement efforts stall. The ongoing challenges in apprehending figures like Leijdekkers and stabilizing transit regions stem from specific geopolitical and structural hurdles. Investigative reports and leaked footage place Leijdekkers—sentenced heavily in absentia by Dutch courts—in close proximity to Sierra Leone's political elite, including ties to the ruling family. While European intelligence has pinpointed his presence, local authorities have routinely stonewalled requests or denied formal knowledge of his whereabouts, making standard extradition requests legally dead. European police and special forces cannot conduct unilater...
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Drug Cartels and Political Turmoil: Sierra Leone Faces Growing Narco-State Threat

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After the one-sided vote on the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the All People's Congress, a major political party in Sierra Leone, held a press conference and made some unexpected claims.  As people across the country discuss Parliament's uneven approval, the APC spokesperson called the attempt to legitimize the bill's passage as fraudulent. The APC also claimed that reliable reports suggest opposition MPs were offered large sums of money to support the bill.  These bribery allegations at the highest level come as international attention focuses on convicted Dutch drug dealer Johannes Leijdekkers, also known as Bolle Jos.  Many Sierra Leoneans are worried about cartels and illegal money entering politics, with some even calling Sierra Leone a narco state.  Meanwhile, in Liberia, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman revealed that top government officials were involved in drug trafficking.  The Liberia National Police has charged the head...
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Debate Over Presidential Election Threshold Intensifies in Sierra Leone

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  The threshold for electing a president remains a contentious issue in Sierra Leone.  Truth Media shared a 5-minute interview clip with Alpha Sesay, the attorney general and justice minister, who has publicly opposed extraditing a convicted Dutch drug dealer with over 100 convictions in Europe for narcotrafficking.  The Truth Media podcast host quoted the draft legislation: a person shall not be declared elected as president of Sierra Leone unless at the presidential election he obtains a simple majority of the total valid vote cast throughout Sierra Leone, and a minimum of 20 percent of the total valid vote cast in at least two-thirds of the districts of Sierra Leone .  Sesay stated that President Julius Maada Bio supports the bill to ensure broad representation in presidential elections.  He noted that the All People's Congress, the Sierra Leone People's Party, and other minority groups agree the 55 percent threshold is high, and he believes Sierra Leone may ...
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Sierra Leone’s Election Reforms Spark Debate

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The next president of Sierra Leone may be required to secure 20 percent of the valid votes cast in 11 of the 16 districts.  With an estimated population of 7 million and approximately 2 million registered voters, a 20 percent threshold equates to 44,000 people, or proportionally, 12,571 voters.  If the combined population of the 11 districts is 220,000, then multiplying 11 by 20,000 yields the target of 44,000 people, which is 20 percent of 220,000.  The national voter proportion is 28.57 percent, calculated by dividing 2,000,000 by 7,000,000.  The total number of district voters is 62,857, determined by multiplying 220,000 by 28.57 percent.  The target win is 12,571 voters, which is 20 percent of 62,857.  While these calculations may appear convoluted, they have reportedly informed the strategies of 2028 presidential contender David Sengeh, who is said to have utilized artificial intelligence to develop his own electoral formula.  However, civil socie...
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Bush paths and Meadows

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Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has experienced several leadership changes, beginning with David Cameron and most recently including Andy Burnham.  While the United Kingdom maintained democratic legitimacy during transitions, as power shifted between elected officials, in  Sierra Leone, such changes often undermined democratic rule, with the suspension or disruption of elections and civil institutions.  British prime ministers serving from 2016 to 2026 include David Cameron (2010–2016), Theresa May (2016–2019), Boris Johnson (2019–2022), Liz Truss (2022), Rishi Sunak (2022–2024), Keir Starmer (2024–2026), and Andy Burnham (2026–present).  Political parties in Britain can replace their leaders through internal elections whenever a leader loses the confidence of a sufficient number of party members.  In contrast, Sierra Leone experienced a similar frequency of leadership changes within its first decade of independence. Still, these transitions were primar...
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Navigating the Promise and Perils of Artificial Intelligence in Election Management

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In industrially advanced countries, former presidents attending conferences is a common occurrence, and their experience and expertise are typically valued in international and regional events. By contrast, in Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio has persistently sidelined his direct predecessor, Ernest Bai Koroma (pictured in an undated photo from the swearing-in ceremony for his second term), along with other former leaders who came to power through constitutional processes. Recently, members of Bio's administration, some of whom have previously expressed extreme views regarding opposition supporters and parties, have advocated for the return of Ernest Bai Koroma by supporting the dismissal of charges that labeled him an enemy of the state. These charges also placed his former appointees and family members at risk. Koroma held the last free and fair elections in 2018, which ushered in Julius Maada Bio as president.  Against this political backdrop, the contested 2023 presiden...
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Ghana Withdraws as U.S. Signs Landmark Health MOUs with Sierra Leone and Other African Nations

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In April 2026, Ghana withdrew from a five-year, $109 million health agreement with the United States, citing concerns about the loss of regulatory control and the requirement to share sensitive health data in violation of Ghana's data protection laws. A Ghanaian official noted that granting access to citizens' data without safeguards raised health equity and constitutional concerns, and questioned the purpose of sharing such data with the United States. Zambia and Zimbabwe have faced similar challenges regarding health data sharing.  In December 2025, the United States signed four new global health Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with several African countries, including Sierra Leone. According to the U.S. Department of State, these agreements aim to strengthen U.S. leadership in combating infectious diseases and reduce reliance by foreign countries on U.S. taxpayers. According to the press statement, the United States will provide over $30 million in 2026 to Sierra Leone t...
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