Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
freetownlatest news & developments
President Julius Maada Bio

Sierra Leone: A fractious poll defined by economic crisis

Both the country’s president and the man who would replace him agree the election would be determined by the cost-of-living struggle

Another deadly pathogen enters the fray — anthrax

The disease is circulating in livestock, with some human cases reported.

Empty roads and streets are seen after 3-day curfew declaration due to the coronavirus  pandemic in Freetown, Sierra Leone on April 5, 2020. (Vidal Sesay/Anadolu Agency)

Covid-19 restrictions give rise to political tensions in Sierra Leone

The country has experienced violent incidents of unrest in recent weeks

Those looking for an explanation of Sierra Leone’s rape crisis often turn to the country’s violent recent past. (Reuters)

Soaring sexual violence pushes Sierra Leone to face ‘rape culture’

Many attacks go unpunished, and those that are reported often fail to end in indictments or make it through the judicial system, rights groups say

Julius Maada Bio was elected president on April 4. He doesn’t represent change but Sierra Leoneans were able to exercise their right to vote in peaceful elections.

A love letter to struggling Sierra Leone

The poor country epitomises the step-by-step realisation of democracy taking place in Africa

President Julius Maada Bio (pictured) pledged to fully implement findings of the three commissions of inquiry set up to investigate allegations of corruption by former government officials.

Opposition leader takes charge in Sierra Leone

But the losing candidate promises to challenge the legality of the election

These tents have been home to the displaced residents for the last three months.

Sierra Leone: Flood survivors stuck in temporary shelters

It’s been over three months since a mudslide in Freetown, Sierra Leone, left 6,000 persons affected. Many continue to live in temporary shelter

Last week

Doubts about fire that destroyed Sierra Leone opposition’s party offices

Sierra Leone opposition leader has seen his party office go up in flames, been arrested on several occasions and charged in court.

Ebola was first identified in what is now the DRC in 1976 and named after the nearby Ebola River. (File Photo)

Sierra Leone bans festive gatherings on Ebola fears

The army is to enforce the government’s travel ban during the Christmas period and a military presence aims to deter street celebrations.

Posters and banners on every street corner in Freetown warn of the dangers of Ebola.

Sierra Leone’s Ebola-hit Freetown is a city on edge

Just a day’s drive from the epicentre of the outbreak, it’s little wonder Ebola propagates panic quicker than it spreads death in the coastal city.

Blood diamond rebels face war-crimes verdict

Sierra Leone’s war crimes court will hand down its verdict on Wednesday against three rebels accused of committing atrocities during the civil war.

Court to rule on blood diamond rebels

Sierra Leone’s war crimes tribunal will hand down a verdict on Wednesday against three rebel RUF commanders accused of carrying out a killing spree.

Sierra Leone beach bars demolished in tourism revamp

Demolition teams this week smashed up popular beach bars as part of an improvement scheme to develop tourism in Sierra’s Leone’s capital, Freetown.

Severe floods hit Sierra Leonean capital

Several parts of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, were submerged in more than 1m of water on Friday after torrential rain, meteorologists said.

Sierra Leone police seize 600kg of cocaine

Police in Sierra Leone arrest foreigners and Sierra Leoneans after seizing a record 600kg of cocaine at Lungi International Airport.

Court chases $375m from Charles Taylor’s banks

Prosecutors for Sierra Leone’s war crimes court are trying to track down -million they say vanished from two United States bank accounts held by former Liberian President Charles…

Rising food prices leave Sierra Leoneans bitter

As Sierra Leoneans prepare to celebrate the 47th anniversary of their country’s independence on Sunday, the mood is not festive, but bitter, as people find it more difficult to…

World credit crunch may be good for Africa, says financier

Africa will be well-placed to weather a global economic downturn if it uses high oil and commodities prices to diversify its economies, one of the continent’s most successful…

Sierra Leone hopes to ‘downsize’ army

Sierra Leone’s military chiefs are working on means to downsize from its current 10 000 soldiers to 8 500, Defence Minister Palo Conteh said on Friday, according to a state radio…

Sierra Leone court upholds war-crimes convictions

A United Nations-backed court on Friday upheld the convictions of three former rebel leaders who were sentenced to half-century prison terms last year for rape, murder and other…