By Alusine Mansaray
Ethnic politics and traditional chieftaincy struggles have long shaped the socio-political landscape of Sierra Leone. The ongoing crisis in Gorama Mende Chiefdom is a striking example of how deeply entrenched political allegiances and tribal affiliations can fuel conflicts, threatening national cohesion.
At the heart of this crisis is a growing division between the Muslim community, which supports the deposed Paramount Chief Gassama, and the Wonde Secret Society, backing the caretaker Paramount Chief Kallon. Both families have Mandingo ancestry but have been integrated into the Mende ethnic group at different historical periods – one more recently and the other in a more distant past.
If this dispute is not carefully managed, it risks evolving into a broader struggle between the Mende-Mandingo Gassama family and the Mandingo-Mende Kallon family.
This crisis reflects a wider pattern where traditional institutions are entangled with political interests, a dangerous trend that has influenced national elections, such as the ethnic conflict in Biriwa Chiefdom that affected the 2018 elections. To fully grasp the risks posed by such disputes, we must analyse how ethnic and political divisions have shaped Sierra Leone since independence in 1961.
At independence, Sierra Leone inherited a fragmented political landscape shaped by British colonial policies that had favoured some ethnic groups over others. The two dominant political parties reflected these divisions.
The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), founded in 1951, was largely supported by the Mende ethnic group in the Southern and Eastern Provinces and was seen as the political voice of the traditional ruling class.
The All People’s Congress (APC), formed in 1960 by Siaka Stevens, drew its base from the Temne and Limba ethnic groups in the North and Western Areas. The APC positioned itself as a grassroots party opposed to the SLPP’s dominance.
Although the first Prime Minister, Sir Milton Margai (Photo above), attempted to maintain national unity, ethnic favouritism soon emerged. When Milton died in 1964, his half-brother Albert Margai took over and was accused of openly favouring the Mende people, alienating Northerners, and prompting the rise of ethicised opposition politics.
Siaka Stevens (Photo below) took power in 1968 after a military coup removed Albert Margai. Stevens ruled with an iron fist, suppressing political opposition, eliminating multi-party democracy in 1978, and consolidating power in the North. His government prioritized the Temne and Limba ethnic groups, while the Mende, who were associated with the SLPP, faced political and economic exclusion.
When Joseph Saidu Momoh took over in 1985, his weak leadership, economic mismanagement, and failure to address national grievances deepened regional and ethnic resentments, laying the foundation for the civil war.
The 11-year civil war, which lasted from 1991 to 2002, was not explicitly ethnic but was fuelled by economic disparities and political exclusion. The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) exploited grievances, particularly in the Mende-dominated South and East, where many felt abandoned by the APC government.
The consequences of the war were devastating, leading to the collapse of state institutions, the destruction of traditional leadership structures, and increased ethnic mistrust.
Many paramount chiefs were displaced or killed, leaving power vacuums that persist to this day. The war ended in 2002, but deep-seated ethnic and political divides remained, shaping post-war governance.
In the post-war period, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (Photo) of the SLPP won the 2002 elections with a message of national unity and reconciliation.
His government focused on rebuilding the country, but ethnic favouritism persisted, with the SLPP favouring Mende-dominated areas for development projects.
The rise of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) in 2007, led by Charles Margai, signalled dissatisfaction within the SLPP’s Mende base. This division contributed to SLPP’s loss in the 2007 elections, allowing Ernest Bai Koroma of the APC to take power.
From 2007 to 2018, Ernest Bai Koroma’s (Photo) government implemented economic reforms but also faced accusations of favouring the North and Western Areas.
The 2018 elections saw a major shift, with ethnic tensions in Biriwa Chiefdom between the Mandingoes and Limbas playing a role in the election outcome.
Julius Maada Bio (Photo below) capitalized on the dissatisfaction and won the presidency.
The Gorama Mende crisis illustrates how chieftaincy disputes, secret societies, and political alignments continue to shape national politics. The growing ethnic re-identification movement, where certain families integrate into new ethnic groups for political or social advantages, could lead to new political shifts in the coming elections.
To prevent future crises, Sierra Leone must adopt long-term solutions that address ethnic and political divisions. Traditional leadership must remain neutral, and the government should enforce non-political chieftaincy elections while creating independent dispute resolution bodies to prevent state interference.
Schools should integrate interethnic history into the curriculum to foster national consciousness, while religious leaders and media should discourage ethnic-based mobilization and promote national unity.
A National Reconciliation and Mediation Commission should be established to address local disputes before they escalate, and chiefs, religious leaders, and civil society groups should play a greater role in peacebuilding.
Political parties should adopt policies that ensure equal representation for all ethnic groups, and development projects should be fairly distributed across all regions to reduce grievances. Electoral reforms, such as a proportional representation system, could help reduce the need for ethnic-based voting.
In contrast, a ban on ethnic-based political campaigns should be strictly enforced, with penalties for politicians who exploit tribal divisions.
Sierra Leone has endured decades of ethnic and political divisions that continue to shape governance, chieftaincy disputes, and elections. The Gorama Mende crisis is not just a local dispute, but a warning sign of how unresolved ethnic struggles can impact national stability. (Photo below: Author -Alusine Mansaray).
To move forward, Sierra Leone must reject tribal politics, promote inclusion, and strengthen institutions that foster unity over division. Only by doing so can the country achieve lasting peace, stable governance, and equitable development for all citizens.
About the author
Alusine Mansaray is the co-founder of Jannatu Farms Organization; Agribusiness Manager and Researcher; Agricultural Extension Specialist and Innovator.
