By Emma Black

In December 2023, Sierra Leone’s ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) celebrated the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act, a law mandating at least 30% female representation in leadership roles. Yet, the party’s new national executive, elected at the 14th National Delegates Conference on Thursday 30 July, 2025, starkly contradicts this commitment.

Out of the 15 national executive positions, only two are held by women Judith Kosseh (Treasurer) and Mahawa Alieu Deputy Organizing Secretary representing a mere 13% of the total, this falls far short of the GEWE Act’s 30% requirement, exposing the SLPP’s failure to practice the gender equality it publicly champions.

President Julius Maada Bio has long promoted himself as a supporter of women’s empowerment. However, this executive lineup, dominated by 13 men, suggests a prioritization of male leadership in key roles like Chairman, Secretary-General, and Legal Advisers, while women are relegated to secondary positions, this tokenism undermines the GEWE Act’s intent and questions the SLPP’s sincerity.

If the SLPP cannot uphold its own gender equality law within its internal structures, it lacks the credibility to enforce it in government or private sectors, the GEWE Act risks becoming a hollow gesture, used for international acclaim rather than genuine change.

Sierra Leonean women and advocates for justice are watching. The SLPP must revise this male-heavy executive to align with the GEWE Act and demonstrate real commitment to gender equality. Until then, this leadership list remains a setback for women’s empowerment in Sierra Leone.

National Chairman: Jimmy B. Songa , Deputy Chairman: Robert K. Kargbo , Secretary General: Hon Paran Tarawallie , Deputy Secretary General: Sheku M. Turay , Organizing Secretary: Alhassan Balogun George ,Deputy Organizing Secretary: Mahawa Alieu ,Public Relations Officer: Moses Mambu ,Treasurer Judith Kosseh ,Internal Auditor: Augustine J J Tommy , Financial Secretary: Sharka Sannoh ,Legal Adviser 1 Anthony Brewa ,Legal Adviser 2 Hon. Hindolo M Gevao ,Legal Adviser 3: Alpha Sesay ,Imam: Alhaji Fuad Sheriff ,Chaplain: Smart Senesie

The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) has long positioned itself as a champion of gender equality, the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act of 2023, which mandates a minimum 30% representation of women in leadership roles. However, Sierra Leone’s political landscape has historically marginalized women, with men dominating key decision-making roles. The GEWE Act was meant to address this, inspired by advocacy from figures like President Julius Maada Bio’s mother and supported by women’s votes across all walks of life, yet, the 2025 conference outcome reinforces a troubling pattern man occupy the nucleus of power positions like National chairman, Secretary-General, and Legal Advisers while women are relegated to deputy or secondary roles.

This lack of representation is not unique to the SLPP. Across Sierra Leone’s governance structures, including city councils and professional bodies like the Association of Journalists, women remain underrepresented in high-level positions, the 2023 elections saw progress, with women securing 30.4% of parliamentary seats, largely due to the GEWE Act’s quotas. However, the SLPP’s failure to reflect this standard internally suggests a lack of commitment to meaningful change.

Civil society, including groups like the 50/50 Group, has long advocated for women’s political inclusion, emphasizing that qualified women like Elizabeth Sabin and others are ready to lead, these women are not asking for tokenism but for opportunities to compete for prominent positions based on merit, not gender. The SLPP’s male-dominated executive risks sending a message that women’s qualifications are overlooked, to the detriment of Sierra Leone’s development.

The party must act swiftly to align its leadership with the GEWE Act’s mandate. This includes revising its internal processes to prioritize women in frontline roles, not just deputy positions. Sierra Leoneans, especially women voters, are watching. Failure to address this gap will erode trust in the SLPP’s commitment to gender justice and weaken its moral authority to enforce the GEWE Act across other sectors.

 Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday,4th August 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)