Zainab Sheriff Urges Sierra Leoneans to Elect a Woman as President

Zainab O. Sheriff, a Sierra Leonean model, singer, and activist, is calling on the nation to support female leadership in the upcoming elections.

In a message shared online, she urged Sierra Leoneans to push for either a female president or vice president, saying anything less should not be accepted.

She said the country’s problems come from poor leadership, and that in the past, many women have gone along with those decisions instead of speaking up. She called on women to take the lead and shape the future of the nation.

Zainab pointed to the country’s civil war, which killed over 100,000 people, left more than a million displaced, and saw over 157,000 women reportedly abused. She expressed the view that if women had been in charge at the time, those events might not have happened.

She also spoke about the deadly protests of August 10, 2022, and suggested that female leadership could have helped prevent the tragedy. She added that the effects of war are still felt today and claimed that some of those involved in past conflicts are now using it to influence or mislead the public.

According to Zainab, familiar ways of thinking and repeating the same patterns have held Sierra Leone back, and real change means doing things differently starting with who leads the country.

“We don’t just want a woman as president; we need one,” she said. “Support change by supporting a woman for president and vice president for a change.”

The call from Zainab O. Sheriff comes as Sierra Leone prepares for its upcoming elections, with women among the candidates hoping to take on leadership roles. Many are watching closely to see how leadership choices will shape the country’s future.