As the capital city Freetown grapples with persistent power outages, frustration is mounting among citizens who are directing their anger at Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, the presidential appointee overseeing the country’s energy sector.

President Julius Maada Bio appointed Yumkella, an internationally recognized energy expert, to lead efforts in addressing Sierra Leone’s long-standing electricity challenges.

However, the worsening power situation has left citizens disillusioned, with many accusing him of failing to deliver on his mandate.Popular social media influencer Vickie Remoe voiced her frustration in a post that resonated with many. She wrote, “Feeling defeated by Sierra Leone’s electricity crisis with 99 others. No light last night. No light this morning. Generator broke down again. No filming today, guest is here but EDSA won’t let us be great.”

Another Facebook user, Jacqueline Hamilton, pleaded for relief, stating, “Papa Minister of Energy, please make EDSA pity us. Cooking even a simple soup is not cheap anymore.”

The criticism didn’t stop there. One user lamented, “From the time they said KKY is in charge of electricity, I gave up. All he does is pack his schedule with empty talks.” Similarly, Thomas Josephus Dixon wrote, “The man who is supposed to give us electricity is only good at delivering big speeches. He just flies from one conference to another, talking about megawatts while we suffer in darkness.”

These sentiments highlight the growing frustration among Freetown residents, many of whom had high hopes that Yumkella’s leadership would bring about meaningful change. Instead, the capital continues to grapple with frequent power cuts, leaving households and businesses in distress.

As citizens grow increasingly vocal, the spotlight is on Yumkella and the Energy Ministry to provide immediate solutions to the electricity crisis. The question remains: will the outcry prompt action, or will Freetown remain in the dark?