By Emma Black
Residents of Kissy, one of Freetown’s largest and most densely populated communities, are expressing growing anger over persistent and prolonged blackouts that have disrupted daily life for weeks.on October 12, 2025, the worsening electricity crisis has crippled small businesses, strained households, and fueled calls for President Julius Maada Bio to reshuffle the leadership of the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA).
According to residents, large sections of the Kissy area have gone days without electricity, and even when power is restored, it lasts only a few hours. Many families have been forced to rely on costly generators or kerosene lamps to cope with the darkness.
We are tired of living like this, lamented Fatmata Kamara, a trader at Kissy Market, our food goes bad, our children can’t study at night, and our businesses keep losing money. We need a permanent solution, not excuses.
The prolonged outages have had a devastating impact on small-scale entrepreneurs, particularly welders, tailors, cold-water sellers, and barbers who depend on electricity for their daily operations. I used to work full days, said Musa Conteh, a welder at Kissy Dock Yard,nNow, I spend most of my time waiting for the light to come back. This is killing our livelihoods.
Community leaders have described the situation as unacceptable, accusing EDSA of poor management and inefficiency. Pastor Mohamed Sesay, a respected local figure, called for urgent government intervention. President Bio must act now, he said, EDSA’s leadership has failed to deliver. We are calling for a reshuffle and for competent people who can ensure a stable power supply.
Over the past weeks, frustration has spilled onto social media, with the hashtag #LightUpKissy trending among Sierra Leoneans on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). Residents have shared videos of entire neighborhoods in darkness, demanding accountability from EDSA and the Ministry of Energy.
In response to public outrage, an EDSA spokesperson attributed the outages to ongoing technical maintenance and generation shortfalls, assuring the public that efforts are being made to stabilize the supply. However, residents dismissed the explanation, saying such statements have become repetitive and unconvincing.
Every time there’s a blackout, they blame technical faults, said Ibrahim Koroma, a youth leader in Kissy. We pay our bills faithfully, but we don’t get the service we deserve. Beyond the economic strain, the blackout crisis has raised serious health and security concerns. Residents say the darkness has emboldened petty criminals and made it harder to keep food and medicines preserved. Local clinics have also complained that power cuts threaten the safe storage of vaccines and the operation of critical medical equipment.
Energy experts say the recurring blackouts expose systemic weaknesses within Sierra Leone’s electricity sector including outdated infrastructure, limited generation capacity, and poor management oversight. They warn that without significant reforms and investment, such crises will persist.
Electricity is not a luxury; it’s a basic necessity, said Aminata Bangura, a university student, we are only asking for consistent power so we can study, work, and live with dignity. As discontent grows, the ball is now in State House’s court. Kissy residents say they are done with empty promises and want urgent, concrete action to restore light and hope to their community.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 15th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
