Dr. David Sengeh: One Voice Too Many at State House

Dr. David Moinina Sengeh. Chief Minister of Sierra Leone

By Alpha Amadu Jalloh

 

In every culture, the talking drum holds a sacred place. It sends messages across distant lands. It calls people to war or peace, to mourning or celebration. But what happens when the talking drum, instead of sending the right signals, begins to speak too loudly, too often, and too out of place? What happens when the sound of the drum drowns out the voice of the people?

 

Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, the current Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, is fast becoming that talking drum. Loud, omnipresent, and increasingly disconnected from the rhythm of the people. At a time when President Julius Maada Bio finally seemed poised to pivot away from lofty slogans and broken promises, away from “New Direction” to a more grounded and realistic governance approach, the moment was hijacked. Yes, hijacked by the very man who should be helping him make that turn, not muddying the waters with needless verbosity.

 

On what should have been a refreshing and unifying moment at State House, where the President invited both SLPP and APC parliamentarians to a landmark meeting focused on national unity and progress, Dr. Sengeh took center stage once again. As usual, he spoke with eloquence, with the charisma of a global tech ambassador, but without the humility or wisdom to know when silence is golden.

 

O my soul, created by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. How can one man be so quick to jump into everything, speak on everything, and take over every platform as if governance is an academic debate or a TED Talk? A Chief Minister is not a chief spokesman. His job is not to shadow or sideline the Press Secretary, the Minister of Information, or even the President himself. Governance is teamwork. Leadership is not a solo performance.

 

Take for instance the recent State House meeting. A historic effort by the President to reset national dialogue and promote reconciliation. The opposition APC did not go there to congratulate the President on his ECOWAS chairmanship, yet Dr. Sengeh tried to reframe the event in that light. That single misrepresentation, whether deliberate or careless, nearly derailed the symbolism and substance of the gathering. It was not about celebration. It was about consultation. Every time he appears, Dr. Sengeh finds a way to put sand in the dish just as it is about to be served.

 

Where is Yusuf Keketoma Sandi, the man appointed to speak on behalf of the President? Why is he increasingly invisible when the President needs a clear, official voice of calm, clarity, and conviction? It is as though Dr. Sengeh has quietly absorbed everyone else’s roles into his own. In doing so, he risks turning State governance into a one-man podcast.

 

Let us be clear. Dr. Sengeh is not short of brilliance. He is a product of elite institutions and has experience that could be useful in many facets of governance. But brilliance without balance is dangerous. It becomes an ego trip. It becomes a distraction. It becomes a drum that beats at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons.

 

Mr. President, this is not the time for you to allow missteps in tone and representation. You are no longer a campaigner. You are the Head of State. This moment, especially with the recent bipartisan engagement, could reset your legacy. But it cannot happen if the narrative continues to be written by a handful of voices who do not understand that government is collective, not individualistic.

 

The State House is not a university lecture hall. It is the heartbeat of the nation. It must project order, structure, and restraint. Why then are the voices of the other ministers so absent? Are they being sidelined? Are they being silenced? Or is the spotlight being deliberately hogged? Either way, this imbalance is a dangerous recipe for failure.

 

One of the greatest lessons of governance is knowing when not to speak. President Ahmed Tejan Kabba understood this. He allowed others to shine. He governed with silence when necessary and with words when demanded. Mr. President, your government cannot afford to be reduced to a stage show where only one or two actors perform while the rest remain behind the curtains.

 

We must ask. Is this show of dominance by Dr. Sengeh a reflection of your own will, Mr. President, or a case of an overzealous appointee gone unchecked? Either way, the perception is growing, and perception in politics is everything.

 

The people are not listening anymore because the sounds coming from State House are too frequent, too scripted, and too one-dimensional. Dr. Sengeh, as the talking drum, must learn to pause. To allow other instruments in the national orchestra to play. He must allow the silence of governance, the type that signals quiet work being done, to speak louder than constant publicity.

 

As it stands, Dr. David Sengeh is fast becoming the wrong messenger at the right time. His drum is loud, yes, but it echoes confusion, not clarity. And if left unchecked, it may drown out even the most sincere efforts of the President to rebuild trust and reframe his leadership narrative.

 

It is time to recalibrate. It is time for the Chief Minister to remember he is not the President. And it is time for the President to ensure that no single voice drowns out the chorus of a government that is supposed to serve all Sierra Leoneans.

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