Dr. Kaifala Marah, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and a contender for the All People’s Congress (APC) flagbearer position, has criticized the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) for internal mismanagement and ineffective policies. He made these remarks during the inauguration of the APC branch in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, where he delivered the keynote address.
Marah urged the audience to reflect on the pressing challenges facing Sierra Leone and the APC, citing alarming statistics to illustrate the nation’s dire state. He highlighted that 80% of the population struggles with food insecurity, and one in four children suffers from malnutrition, despite the country’s rich natural resources, including fisheries and marine wealth. He noted that inflation has exceeded 20%, and unsustainable debt is crippling the economy. “These figures are not mere abstractions but reflect the harsh realities faced by our people daily,” he emphasized.
He acknowledged the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war but argued that neighboring countries have managed to recover and stabilize, while Sierra Leone lags behind due to internal mismanagement and poor policy decisions.
Dr. Marah also criticized the SLPP’s tendency to blame the APC, which has been in opposition for nearly seven years, for past economic mismanagement. He claimed that under the SLPP, the economy is not just leaking but “drowning in waste,” citing excessive foreign travel and inefficient expenditure management.
As a former Minister of Finance, he proposed solutions to address the current economic challenges. He recommended the establishment of a “cut waste panel” to streamline revenue and expenditure, reduce waste, and create fiscal space. Marah also called for a suspension of domestic borrowing to prevent crowding out the private sector and escalating domestic debt. He pointed to his tenure in 2013 under President Ernest Bai Koroma, during which domestic interest rates were reduced from 27% to under 5%, inflation fell from 12% to 6.4%, and the Treasury Single Account was introduced for improved resource management—policies he argued are now being neglected.
Marah criticized the Bio administration for failing to build on the infrastructure, energy, and water projects achieved during the Koroma presidency. He highlighted that the APC government constructed over 1,000 kilometers of paved roads, compared to less than half under the SLPP. Similarly, he noted APC-led water projects in districts such as Kenema, Bo, and Port Loko, and energy projects including the 50MW Bumbuna hydro dam and additional solar and hydroelectric initiatives.
Marah also condemned the SLPP’s decision to increase taxes on rice, describing it as an unjustified burden on the population. He noted that the APC government waived duties on rice to reduce the cost of living, a policy he promised to restore if the APC returns to power. According to him, the APC has the expertise and strategies needed to reverse the current neglect of the people’s welfare and restore hope and prosperity.
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