Freetown, September 18, 2026 – Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally, a leading aspirant for the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) flagbearer position ahead of the 2028 general elections, has firmly rejected claims by the party that he holds dual membership of the SLPP and the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP).
In a letter dated September 18, 2026, addressed to SLPP National Chairman Sir Jimmy Batilo Songa, Tarawally stated that he resigned from the CDP in 2018 and returned to the SLPP. He attached a copy of his resignation letter dated June 15, 2018, as evidence.
Tarawally described himself as a fully paid-up SLPP member, a Grand Chief Patron and National Delegate. He insisted he remains an active aspirant for the party’s presidential ticket and will continue his campaign.
The veteran politician challenged the National Chairman’s authority to terminate his membership.
He argued that any disciplinary action must follow established party procedures through the National Executive Council rather than unilateral action by the Chairman.
Tarawally further accused the Chairman’s letter of damaging his reputation and characterised it as cyberbullying.
He said he has instructed his legal team to examine possible remedies, including action under Sierra Leone’s Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act 2021, civil claims for defamation, and constitutional avenues.
He concluded by affirming that he remains a member of the SLPP and will not abandon his bid for the flagbearer position.
Tarawally’s political journey has long been a subject of debate within SLPP circles. He began his career in the party, serving as a Young Generation leader and later as Member of Parliament for Moyamba District. He later joined the All People’s Congress (APC) under former President Ernest Bai Koroma, holding positions including Resident Minister South, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Minister of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment. He subsequently formed the CDP, under which he contested the 2018 presidential election before backing then-candidate Julius Maada Bio in the runoff. He was re-admitted to the SLPP around 2022 without preconditions.
In recent months, Tarawally has secured notable grassroots support, including a unanimous endorsement from National Constituency Secretaries (NaCoS) representing 32 constituencies in June 2026, following earlier backing in Moyamba District. He has also publicly raised concerns about alleged unethical practices within the party, including forced oath-taking, and has criticised certain internal decisions.
Sir Jimmy Batilo Songa was elected SLPP National Chairman at the party’s 14th National Delegates Conference in 2025 and has been publicly backed by President Julius Maada Bio, who has called for unity and discipline under his leadership.
The exchange comes amid intensifying competition for the SLPP’s 2028 ticket and ongoing discussions about constitutional eligibility criteria for the flagbearer race. No immediate response from the SLPP National Chairman or the party’s national secretariat was available at the time of publication.
