Grace Mugabe and Fatima Bio: When First Ladies Become Political Liabilities

Fatima Bio (left) and Grace Mugabe (right)

By Alpha Amadu Jalloh

In recent history, Africa has witnessed the rise of First Ladies whose presence in national affairs have done more harm than good. One such example is Grace Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and now, increasingly, Fatima Bio of Sierra Leone. These women, once seen as ceremonial figures beside their powerful husbands, have instead emerged as political actors with an insatiable thirst for influence, fame, and control. Their stories, though different in context, bear disturbing similarities in ambition, manipulation, and eventual disgrace.

Grace Mugabe was a central figure in the final disgrace and downfall of the late President Robert Mugabe. As the Zimbabwean economy crumbled and public resentment grew, Grace played an outsized role behind the scenes, manipulating party structures, interfering in governance, and attempting to position herself for succession. Her hunger for power alienated key allies of her husband, ultimately leading to a military intervention and Mugabe’s forced resignation in 2017. Her lavish lifestyle and brazen arrogance became symbols of a leadership that had lost touch with the people.

Sierra Leone’s First Lady Fatima Jabbe Bio seems to be tracing the same path. From her arrival in the country, she came not as a unifying First Lady, but as a self-anointed queen determined to dominate the political space. A Gambian-born actress of Guinean descent, Fatima Bio’s rise was steeped in controversy, and her actions have continuously cast a shadow over President Julius Maada Bio’s leadership.

Her first major scandal came with the Koidu Holdings saga, where she allegedly interfered in mining negotiations and intimidated stakeholders. There were credible allegations that she attempted to insert herself in matters far beyond the purview of a First Lady, acting as a de facto policymaker in resource governance. This brazen overreach sparked concern within diplomatic and business communities, many of whom began to question the transparency and accountability of the Bio administration.

Then came her self-styled campaign titled “Hands Off Our Girls.” While the initiative was launched under noble pretenses to protect young girls from rape and child marriage, it quickly became a tool of personal aggrandizement. Fatima Bio used it to fly across the world on taxpayer funds, posing for cameras, receiving awards, and speaking at international events, while the real plight of girls in Sierra Leone remained largely unaddressed. Meanwhile, her husband’s government was drowning in debt, and hospitals remained ill-equipped.

What angered many Sierra Leoneans the most was the growing perception that Fatima Bio was not just an interfering spouse but a parallel ruler. Ministers, senior civil servants, and even members of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) began to grumble behind closed doors. She is accused of manipulating appointments, meddling in cabinet reshuffles, and vetting government contracts. Many who fell out with her or questioned her influence were either removed from office or politically marginalized.

It did not stop there. Fatima Bio allegedly played a central role in the manipulation of the 2023 elections. From her involvement in campaign strategy to her public taunting of the opposition, she abandoned all pretenses of neutrality expected from a First Lady. Her speeches became laced with insults, arrogance, and open threats. She reportedly dictated the messaging of the campaign and was present in high-level meetings meant for official party or government strategists. This behavior, many believe, cost President Bio significant credibility and trust, even among his supporters.

In a country with fragile institutions and a history of conflict, such behavior is dangerous. Rather than uniting the people, Fatima Bio has become a lightning rod for division. Her penchant for attention, desire for relevance, and political over-involvement have made her deeply unpopular among the general population. This unpopularity has now spilled into her own party, the SLPP, which recently delivered what can only be described as a political uppercut. She is now mocked openly, and the once-untouchable First Lady is being called names, such as “Yu Coco Don Roast O,” a sarcastic Krio phrase suggesting her political influence has burned out and she is now powerless.

The SLPP’s silence and recent sidelining of her from party affairs is telling. Many in the party now believe she has done irreparable damage to President Bio’s legacy. Even some of the President’s loyalists now whisper that Fatima Bio should be reined in for the good of the country and the survival of the party. Her behavior has become a liability. Her conduct at official events, often overshadowing the President himself, and her open hostility to critics have alienated many.

The titles she gives herself, such as “First Lady of the Republic,” “Queen of Africa,” and “Mother of the Nation,” reflect a delusional self-image that has no place in a democracy. These are not honors conferred by the people or by Parliament but assumed out of vanity. Sierra Leone is a republic, not a monarchy. The wife of the president has a ceremonial role, not one that includes executive functions. Her hunger for acclaim and power contradicts the democratic principles her husband swore to uphold.

Moreover, there are numerous allegations of her interference in the judiciary, particularly during cases involving political opponents. Stories abound of her calls to judges, pressure on police, and intimidation of journalists. While these claims are often hard to prove in court, their consistency across different regions, communities, and political affiliations points to a pattern of abuse of power.

In the end, history will remember Fatima Bio not for the help she could have offered as First Lady but for the damage she did by becoming an unelected power broker. Her legacy, like that of Grace Mugabe, will be a cautionary tale about what happens when a First Lady goes rogue.

The comparison is unavoidable. Grace Mugabe saw herself as the heir to her husband’s throne. She insulted war veterans, belittled party stalwarts, and used state resources as if they were her personal inheritance. Fatima Bio is now following the same script. The key difference is that Zimbabwe acted. The ruling party ZANU-PF rejected Grace Mugabe’s ambition and removed her husband from power. Sierra Leone still has time to restore sanity to State House.

The people of Sierra Leone deserve better. They did not elect Fatima Bio. They elected her husband. Yet it seems she is the one calling the shots. That must end. Her interference in state affairs, her rudeness, her unchecked privileges, and her false sense of entitlement are destroying the credibility of not just the presidency but the SLPP itself.

As the 2028 elections inch closer, SLPP must make a choice: continue down this dangerous road where a First Lady dictates party strategy and government policy, or reclaim its legacy by putting the people and constitution above all. Fatima Bio’s fall from grace should be a lesson to all First Ladies across Africa: the role of First Lady is not a political appointment. It is a duty of grace, humility, and quiet strength.

Grace Mugabe thought herself untouchable, until she was not. Fatima Bio would do well to learn from that fall.