By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Sierra Leone’s Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) was established to uphold the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), aiming to foster peace, heal wounds from past atrocities, and protect the rights of every citizen. Its purpose was clear: to bridge divides, nurture dialogue, and ensure that Sierra Leoneans work together despite political, regional, or ethnic differences. Yet, four years into its existence, the Commission finds itself mired in mismanagement, internal power struggles, and bureaucratic paralysis, raising serious questions about whether it is living up to the very principles it was created to defend.
> “The Commission appears stagnated due to misdirected guidance, lack of professionalism, and internal discord.”
President Julius Maada Bio appointed a team of Sierra Leoneans to implement the mandate of the Commission, including a Board of Directors to provide advisory oversight. After four years, however, the Commission appears stagnated due to misdirected guidance, lack of professionalism, and internal discord. Recent headlines revealed the termination of six Directors by the Chairman of the Board, Rev. Shodanke Johnson, a clergyman from Bo. Information suggests the affected Directors have pursued the proper procedures to reverse this blatant abuse of power and disrespect for the Presidency. Yet, to date, nothing tangible has emerged from this ugly standoff.
> “When the very institution meant to protect citizens’ rights engages in internal abuses, who is safe and where can citizens turn when their rights are trampled?”
To make matters worse, the Directors have gone months without salaries or other benefits. Reports indicate that Chairman Shodanke and Executive Secretary Hawa Samai influenced higher authorities to relocate the Commission’s office. The move appears deliberate, designed to prevent access by the affected Directors, further undermining the institution’s credibility. This act of disregard for authority is alarming. How can a Chairman and Executive Secretary terminate Presidential appointees? How can Parliament and State House allow such violations under their watch?
> “The Peace Commission risks tarnishing its reputation and eroding public trust through internal conflicts left unchecked.”
As Sierra Leone approaches September 21, the International Day of Peace, one must ask: is this what the Peace Commission will commemorate? Is this the image President Bio plans to present at the United Nations General Assembly?
The broader problem is not limited to the Peace Commission. Institutions such as the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and similar bodies are plagued by mediocrity, mismanagement, and a culture where toeing the line trumps competence. These agencies often appear as white elephants, bearing names that suggest service and integrity while actions reveal the opposite. In many cases, if you fail to comply with internal interests, you are swiftly removed.
> “While the Commission was born out of the TRC’s spirit of reconciliation and justice, it is ironically facilitating violations of human rights.”
The human cost of this dysfunction is enormous. Citizens who expect protection, guidance, and mediation from the Commission are left in a void. Survivors of past conflicts, victims of political violence, and ordinary Sierra Leoneans cannot rely on an institution whose leaders prioritize personal gain and internal battles over justice. The TRC’s vision of a society grounded in accountability and harmony risks being reduced to rhetoric, hollowed out by the very body created to uphold it.
> “Sierra Leoneans deserve institutions that protect them, mediate disputes, and uphold the law.”
Civil society and concerned citizens must hold state institutions accountable. The Peace Commission cannot operate as a private fiefdom where internal disagreements supersede its mandate. President Bio, as the appointing authority, bears ultimate responsibility to ensure the Commission functions professionally, transparently, and in alignment with its founding principles. Immediate intervention is necessary to prevent further erosion of credibility, to restore order, and to reaffirm the Commission’s commitment to the TRC spirit.
> “Peace, justice, and accountability cannot thrive in an environment where those entrusted to uphold them become the very agents of disorder.”
Sierra Leoneans, civil society organizations, and state institutions must treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves. The credibility of the Peace Commission, the respect for human rights, and the legacy of the TRC are all at stake. President Bio must act decisively to restore the Commission’s integrity before it descends further into dysfunction.