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Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh, has disclosed that he attempted to suspend his doctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2015 to return home and join the national fight against the Ebola epidemic.
Reflecting on his contributions during the health crisis, Sengeh revealed that he formally requested a pause on his PhD program and held meetings with former President Ernest Bai Koroma to facilitate his return. However, he was advised by MIT to complete his coursework, preventing his physical return at that time.
Remote Innovation and Post-Ebola Recovery Despite remaining abroad, Sengeh stated that he continued to support the response efforts through technological innovation. He organized “Ebola hackathons” at MIT and collaborated with global organizations—including PATH, Google X, and the Gates Foundation—to develop solutions and channel support to Sierra Leone.
Upon his graduation, Sengeh joined IBM in Kenya, where he directed his focus back to his home country. He noted that his primary project in 2016 and 2017 centered on post-Ebola recovery efforts in Port Loko. “I brought my colleagues, and we built and deployed systems that won awards,” Sengeh said.
Service Above Party Politics The Chief Minister used these reflections to emphasize a philosophy of placing national interest above partisan allegiance. He highlighted that his efforts to serve occurred under the administration of the All People’s Congress (APC), the current opposition party.
“In all this, at no point did I pause to ask if the existing government was APC or SLPP. All that mattered to me was serving my country,” Sengeh stated.
He recalled an instance in his mid-twenties when he was invited by the Koroma administration to deliver a pre-cabinet presentation to the Vice President and Ministers regarding the “One Laptop per Child Corps” program he had deployed in Sahn Malen. Sengeh noted that he engaged constructively with the APC government and Ministry of Education staff, many of whom he would later lead as Minister over a decade later.
A Call for Patriotism Sengeh contrasted the dedication of those who sought to return during the crisis with those who fled. He cited President Julius Maada Bio as another example of a leader who returned from London to contribute to the fight against Ebola, regardless of the political party in power.
“I only wish many people would put their hands up to serve without referencing political party colors,” Sengeh concluded, reaffirming that he put his “country above all else—my PhD, my political party, and my personal benefits.”
