Reports obtained by Sahara Reporters reveal that Sierra Leone’s military personnel resorted to using force against protesters, shooting at demonstrators in an attempt to quell the uprising.
Eyewitnesses confirm that one person was shot in the state capital, Freetown, while protests erupted not only there but also in Moyamba community, marking a nationwide outcry.
“At Moyamba community, there is protest and also on Black Hall road, Freetown, the state capital, one person has been shot,” a witness said.
The protest in Sierra Leone was over the rise in the cost of fuel, food commodities, election malpractice during the 2023 general elections and the killing of opposition party members.
“The entire country protesting today; all the deaths recently were recorded in Freetown,” another witness said.
Adding to the chaos, Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, plunged into darkness as Turkish firm Karpowership abruptly cut off the electricity supply to the West African nation.
Energy Minister Kanja Sesay disclosed to Reuters that this drastic action was taken due to an unpaid debt of approximately $40 million, which had accrued over time.
The government had been shouldering more than half of the power cost due to consumer charges in the weak local Leone currency, further exacerbated by its depreciation against the dollar, which it uses to pay the power provider.
In response to the crisis, a government commission has been established to review consumer electricity tariffs, potentially leading to a doubling of rates.
Karpowership, a prominent operator of floating power plants globally and part of the Karadeniz Energy Group, had entered agreements in 2018 and 2020 to supply electricity to Sierra Leone’s state power utility.
As tensions continue to rise, Sierra Leone faces a challenging path towards resolving the multifaceted issues fueling these protests. The nation remains on edge as it grapples with economic instability, political unrest, and an electricity crisis.
