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The Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) has officially launched a national initiative to shape the leadership criteria for Sierra Leone’s 2028 general elections.
The campaign, titled “Who Will Be the Next President? A Citizens’ Manifesto for Democracy and Basic Services,” was unveiled on Friday, February 13, at the CGG headquarters in Tengbeh Town. The launch also marked the beginning of the organization’s 30th-anniversary celebrations, commemorating three decades since the country’s 1996 return to civilian rule.
CGG Executive Director Marcella Samba-Sesay described the initiative as a platform for national reflection. She emphasized that the campaign aims to empower citizens to define the standards of integrity, courage, and vision they expect from future leaders.
“Democracy must produce tangible benefits for citizens beyond the conduct of elections,” Samba-Sesay stated, noting that leadership should be measured by its ability to address chronic governance challenges.
The organization outlined a comprehensive framework for what it terms “democratic delivery.” Key priorities identified in the manifesto include:
Essential Services: Improved access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare, electricity, and housing.
Economic Opportunity: Quality education and job creation for the youth.
Governance: Accountable leadership, independent institutions, and responsible management of natural resources.
To drive the campaign, CGG announced the revival of its “Drama, Dance, and Dialogue” (DDD) outreach program, a creative strategy designed to engage rural and urban communities nationwide.
The organization has set an ambitious goal to collect three million signatures before the 2028 polls. According to organizers, the signature drive serves a dual purpose: symbolizing 30 years of democratic progress and securing high-level endorsements to amplify the public’s demands for better service delivery.
The launch comes at a pivotal time as political conversations begin to shift toward the next electoral cycle. By centering the debate on a “Citizens’ Manifesto,” CGG seeks to ensure that the 2028 presidency aligns with the democratic aspirations first championed during the historic Bintumani conferences of the mid-1990s.
