By Mahmud Tim Kargbo
Why would anyone in Sierra Leone, young or old, want to embrace conservatism in its aspirational sense? In a society where poverty, unemployment, and corruption remain pressing, conservatism must go beyond mere resistance to change. It must instead aspire towards building a dignified, humane, and responsible social order rooted in law, justice, and community.
Conservatism Beyond Politics
Conservatism is often mistaken as a purely partisan or reactionary stance. In Sierra Leone, such misunderstanding has often meant equating conservative thought with blind traditionalism or elite power retention. But aspirational conservatism is different. It does not simply cling to the past; it seeks to conserve what is good, just, and enduring while aspiring toward human flourishing.
The 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone already frames this duty. Section 5(2)(b) declares that “the security, peace, welfare and prosperity of the people of Sierra Leone shall be the primary purpose and responsibility of Government” (http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/constitution1991.pdf). This provision captures the essence of aspirational conservatism: a political and social philosophy that is not content with survival but is aimed at prosperity and dignity.
Humanism in Sierra Leone’s Historical Context
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), reflecting on the brutal civil war, noted that bad governance, corruption, exclusion, and lack of accountability were root causes of national breakdown. In its Final Report (2004), it stated: “The people of Sierra Leone must never again be subjected to the deprivation of their dignity through bad leadership and systemic injustice” (http://www.sierraleonetrc.org).
Aspirational conservatism takes this lesson seriously. It acknowledges that Sierra Leone’s future requires both remembrance of the past and an active striving towards a higher moral, social, and economic order. To be conservative in this sense is to conserve human dignity while aspiring to make institutions work in practice.
From Tradition to Transformation
Aspirational conservatism is not about maintaining customs for their own sake. It is about using the best of Sierra Leone’s cultural and moral traditions to inform a progressive civic spirit. The Constitution affirms this in Section 9(1): “The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that every citizen, without discrimination, has the opportunity to secure adequate means of livelihood” (http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/constitution1991.pdf).
The TRC warned that failure to create such opportunities would risk repeating past instability. Hence, aspirational conservatism must embody responsibility, stewardship, and a relentless pursuit of justice , qualities that make tradition meaningful in the present.
Accountability and the Public Purse
One of the central features of aspirational conservatism is accountability. Sierra Leone’s Audit Service Reports repeatedly reveal systemic financial leakages. For instance, the 2019 Audit Report highlighted irregularities in revenue collection and expenditure across ministries and agencies (http://www.auditservice.gov.sl).
The Financial Management and Accountability Act (2016) reinforces this principle, mandating in Section 12 that “public officers shall be responsible for the efficient, effective, transparent and accountable use of public funds” (http://www.parliament.gov.sl). An aspirational conservatism insists that public resources are not political spoils but sacred trusts to be managed for posterity.
Concrete Examples of Aspirational Conservatism
In practical terms, aspirational conservatism is visible in policies such as Free Quality Education, which aligns with the constitutional mandate under Section 9(3) to provide equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels. Yet, the effectiveness of this programme depends not just on legislation but on prudent management and community responsibility.
Similarly, NASSIT (National Social Security and Insurance Trust) embodies the aspiration to protect workers in old age and disability. However, public outcry about alleged mismanagement (see Audit Service Reports) reminds us that conservatism must guard institutions carefully, ensuring they fulfil their intended purpose rather than serving partisan interests.
Conservatism as Aspirational Humanism
Conservatism in Sierra Leone must rediscover its aspirational character. It must resist the temptation of mere partisanship and instead return to humanism grounded in responsibility. Section 13 of the Constitution clearly places duties upon every citizen, including the duty “to protect and preserve public property” and “to work conscientiously in a lawful and disciplined manner” (http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/constitution1991.pdf).
This is not abstract moralising. It is an ethic of stewardship, a call to live responsibly for the benefit of generations to come. In this sense, conservatism is not a retreat into nostalgia but a forward-looking philosophy that embraces hope while grounding itself in integrity.
The Future of Aspirational Conservatism
The TRC recommended that Sierra Leone must cultivate a political culture based on inclusion, accountability, and service to the common good (http://www.sierraleonetrc.org). Aspirational conservatism takes this prescription seriously. It seeks a Sierra Leone where leaders are measured not by how long they hold office, but by the justice, dignity, and opportunity they leave behind.
As the Constitution reminds us, sovereignty resides in the people (Section 5(2)(a)). The task of aspirational conservatism is therefore to ensure that power is exercised as a sacred trust, not as an entitlement. It is a call to look upward to eternal values, backward to hard-won lessons, around to the realities of the present, and forward to a future where Sierra Leoneans can live in dignity and hope.
Aspirational conservatism in Sierra Leone is not about blind tradition or power politics. It is about conserving the permanent values of justice, integrity, and human dignity while aspiring to create conditions where every citizen can flourish. It is about rejecting corruption and waste, embracing responsibility, and building a community where leadership is measured by service.
As the TRC warned and the Constitution commands, Sierra Leone cannot afford to repeat the errors of its past. The future lies not in empty promises but in concrete humanism, in the discipline of law, and in the aspiration to build a nation worthy of its people.
References
Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991 (http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/constitution1991.pdf)
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report 2004 (http://www.sierraleonetrc.org)
Audit Service Sierra Leone Reports (http://www.auditservice.gov.sl)
Financial Management and Accountability Act 2016 (http://www.parliament.gov.sl)