Martha Kawa, a staunch supporter of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) from Sierra Leone’s southern region, is reportedly in hiding, citing threats to her life. She accuses the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) of suppressing dissent and failing to uphold democratic values.
Speaking to The Watch, Kawa claimed she was arrested by the Sierra Leone Police after openly condemning police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and the arbitrary arrests of protesters. She had also called for President Julius Maada Bio to resign, citing governance failures since his 2018 election.
Kawa alleged that her ordeal began when police summoned her for questioning over her role in mobilizing youth to distribute flyers highlighting police misconduct. According to her, she was detained for several days, mistreated, and had her phone confiscated. Authorities allegedly found WhatsApp messages linking her to APC supporters in the diaspora, which, she believes, intensified their scrutiny. She was eventually released on bail.
Mohamed Kamara, Deputy Publicity Secretary of the APC, condemned what he described as the government’s continued persecution of opposition supporters. He alleged that since the SLPP took power, many APC members have been arrested, beaten, detained, or have gone missing. Kamara stressed that Kawa’s loyalty to the APC, despite coming from an SLPP stronghold, has made her a target. He called on the international community to intervene, warning that political repression is escalating.
Kawa’s case is part of a broader pattern of unrest in Sierra Leone. On August 10, 2022, thousands of young people took to the streets nationwide, demanding better living conditions and calling for President Bio’s resignation. The government’s response to such dissent has raised ongoing concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in the country.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Sierra Leone Police were unsuccessful, as the head of police communications declined to comment.
