The Parliamentary WHIP of Sierra Leone’s main opposition, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, has cast doubt on President Julius Maada Bio’s declared commitment to fighting corruption, accusing the government of perpetuating practices it once decried while in opposition.
Speaking in response to a recently published Afrobarometer report, which indicates a notable decline in perceived corruption across the country, Hon. Kamara dismissed the findings as unrepresentative of the lived reality of ordinary Sierra Leoneans. He argued that the report paints an overly optimistic picture that contradicts the systemic issues still plaguing public institutions.
“The President once rode on the promise of cleaning up governance, but what we are seeing now is a troubling pattern of the very acts he vowed to eradicate,” Hon. Kamara said, implying that the government has merely rebranded old habits rather than ending them.
He criticized what he described as selective anti-corruption enforcement and called for more genuine accountability and transparency across all levels of government.
The Afrobarometer survey, which has generated both praise and skepticism, claims corruption has declined under the current administration. However, Hon. Kamara insists such assessments fail to reflect the frustrations and concerns of citizens who continue to face questionable governance practices and a lack of service delivery.
His remarks underscore growing political tension over the government’s record on integrity and public trust, as the opposition intensifies scrutiny of the President’s leadership.
