SLPP Faces Electoral Risks for 2028 Amid Internal Divisions
The ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) is exhibiting signs of escalating internal friction that could imperil its chances in the upcoming 2028 general elections, according to prominent journalist Melvin Tejan Mansaray.
Speaking during a broadcast on Epic Radio, Mansaray offered a critical assessment of the governing party's current trajectory, highlighting rising disputes surrounding membership eligibility and broader party governance.
“The signs are already there that the SLPP will lose the 2028 elections. A kingdom that is divided against itself cannot stand,” Mansaray warned during the interview.
Mansaray underscored that internal factionalism has historically been the primary catalyst for the party's previous electoral defeats, asserting that current developments mirror past missteps.
“If you look at the pattern that has taken SLPP out of power, it is because of division,” he noted, emphasizing that fractured political movements rarely sustain governance in competitive elections.
Beyond potential electoral ramifications, Mansaray cautioned that ongoing infighting is actively undermining the administration's capacity to fulfill its public mandates and policy objectives.
Instead of focusing resources and attention on governance and service delivery, he argued, party leaders are increasingly consumed by internal crisis management and mitigating the fallout from inflammatory statements.
“At a time when they should be delivering for the people, they are concentrating on managing the damage caused by these very divisive comments,” Mansaray observed.
The analyst's remarks follow prominent internal disputes, including a contentious disagreement regarding the membership status of Musa Tarawally. While the SLPP leadership contends that Tarawally remains affiliated with the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP), Tarawally has publicly disputed the claim, maintaining that he formally resigned from the CDP in 2018 prior to rejoining the SLPP.
For political observers like Mansaray, such public disputes signify broader challenges regarding organizational cohesion and strategic discipline as the ruling party prepares for the 2028 contest.
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