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Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara has issued a strong condemnation of recent remarks attributed to President Julius Maada Bio, warning that the president’s rhetoric could endanger the lives of opposition supporters.
The backlash stems from a speech President Bio recently delivered during the commissioning of a new Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) district office in Mattru Jong, Bonthe District. During the event, the president was recorded stating in the Mende language that anyone in the district who supports the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) “shall die early in the morning.”
While the State House has attempted to defuse the controversy by claiming the phrase was merely a traditional metaphor implying that APC supporters are “cursed,” opposition leaders and legal figures like Kamara argue that such language from a head of state is profoundly dangerous.
“Words carry weight, and when they are attributed to the highest office in the land, their impact is even more far-reaching and dangerous,” Kamara said in a public statement.
The former Justice Minister cautioned that the president’s remarks risk being interpreted by overzealous ruling party supporters as a green light to act outside the bounds of the law. He emphasized that such statements threaten to normalize fear, deepen political divisions, and place innocent citizens at risk simply for exercising their democratic rights.
Acknowledging the heavy political polarization in Bonthe District—a historical stronghold for the ruling SLPP—Kamara addressed APC members directly, urging them to remain peaceful but resolute. He described the incident as a stark reminder of the harassment and intimidation opposition supporters have endured, but called for the moment to serve as a rallying point for unity rather than retaliation.
“Democracy demands tolerance, respect, and the protection of all voices,” Kamara stated. “Leadership must inspire confidence, not fear; unity, not division. At a time when citizens look to their leaders for reassurance, words that incite anxiety and insecurity must be rejected in the strongest terms.”
He concluded his statement with a message of encouragement to his party’s base: “Even in moments like this, when the clouds seem heavy and the road uncertain, we must remember: threats will not weaken our resolve nor resilience. Joy is coming.”
