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Former Deputy Publicity Secretary of the All People’s Congress (APC), Mohamed Pope Kamara, has warned that growing political frustration, alleged mistreatment of opposition supporters and youth disillusionment could have pushed Sierra Leone into violent conflict if senior political figures had not intervened.
Kamara made the remarks during an appearance on AYV’s Front Page, where he discussed the country’s political tensions, the experiences of young opposition supporters and concerns over the conduct of security forces.
“If it were left solely to the young people in this country, by now, perhaps there would have been a war,” Kamara stated.
He argued that young people within the opposition have increasingly felt marginalised and pushed to their limits by what he described as political harassment and exclusion.
Kamara also pointed to security deployments in opposition strongholds, including Makeni and Tombo, as factors contributing to public anger.
Criticising how some of these incidents have been portrayed in the media, he alleged that the deployment of police and other security personnel had contributed to heightened tensions.
“Sometimes when you go to the media, you see the way and manner they’ll take police there and how they have killed our people in Makeni and Tombo,” he said.
Kamara’s comments constitute allegations about security force conduct and should be understood as his account of the events. The claims concerning deaths and the circumstances surrounding security operations in Makeni and Tombo would require independent verification.
The former APC official credited senior members of the party with helping to prevent political grievances from escalating into wider violence, particularly following the disputed 2023 elections.
He said the intervention of party elders and other senior figures helped maintain restraint among supporters during a period of heightened political tension.
“If it had not been for the movement of some of these people, trust me, it would have been something else,” he said.
Kamara called for political grievances to be addressed through transparent processes, warning that unresolved concerns could further deepen frustration among opposition supporters.
Kamara’s remarks come against the backdrop of continuing political tensions in Sierra Leone, including disputes stemming from the 2023 elections and internal leadership challenges within the APC.
His comments particularly highlighted the role of young people, who form a significant part of Sierra Leone’s population and political landscape.
While warning of the potential consequences of continued political frustration, Kamara’s remarks also emphasised the importance of intervention by senior political leaders and the peaceful resolution of grievances.
The comments have added to ongoing discussions about political inclusion, accountability and the need to prevent disagreements between political parties and their supporters from escalating into violence.
