Freetown, 17 September 2026 — The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) National Chairman, Sir Jimmy Batilo Songa, has formally directed Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally to immediately stop using the SLPP logo, presenting himself as a member of the party, or positioning himself as an aspirant for the SLPP flagbearership.
In a letter dated 17 September 2026 from the Office of the National Chairman at Unity House, Songa informed Tarawally that the party had contacted the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP) to verify his membership status.
In a response dated 3 September 2026, the National Secretary General of the CDP confirmed that Tarawally remains a member of that party.
Citing Article 6(3a) of the SLPP Constitution, which designates the National Chairman as the Administrative Head of the Party Worldwide with oversight of the National Party Administration, Songa directed Tarawally to “immediately desist from using the SLPP logo, presenting yourself as a member of the Sierra Leone People’s Party or holding yourself out as an aspirant for the SLPP Flagbearership.”
The letter notes that the directive is based on information confirming Tarawally’s status as a member of the party under which he contested as a presidential candidate in the 2018 general elections.
It further requests that he cease any representation, communication, publication or activity suggesting he is acting on behalf of, or as a member or aspirant of, the SLPP.
A separate press release is expected to inform SLPP members globally and the general public both within and outside Sierra Leone of the position, advising them regarding any dealings with Tarawally in the name of the SLPP.
The letter is copied to the National Leader, Deputy National Leader, Deputy National Chairman, National Secretary General, National Executive Council members, the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), the All Political Parties Association (APPA), and leaders of several other registered parties including the APC, CDP, NDA, NGC, C4C, NURP, PDP and PLP.
Background on Alhaji Musa Tarawally
Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally, a native of Moyamba District, has a long and complex political career spanning the SLPP, APC and CDP. He began as a Young Generation leader in the SLPP, served as Moyamba District Chairman and Member of Parliament (2002–2007), and was part of efforts that helped restore the SLPP government in the late 1990s and secure a strong performance in the 2002 elections.
He later held senior positions under the APC government of former President Ernest Bai Koroma, including Resident Minister South, Minister of Internal Affairs (2010–2013), and Minister of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment. In the lead-up to the 2018 elections, he contested the presidency under the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP) banner. After the first round, he supported the SLPP’s Julius Maada Bio in the runoff, a move widely credited by his supporters as contributing to Bio’s victory.
In recent years, Tarawally has positioned himself as an SLPP flagbearer aspirant ahead of the 2028 elections under the banner of “Agenda MT, Vision 2028.” He has secured endorsements from some constituency secretaries (including a reported unanimous NaCoS endorsement from representatives of 32 constituencies in Bo in June 2026 and strong support in Moyamba), launched multipurpose cooperative schemes for women and youth in districts including Kono, Port Loko, Kailahun and Falaba, and engaged in philanthropic activities such as donations to youth groups and cooperatives. Supporters describe him as a grassroots mobiliser with deep party roots and experience across government.
Critics within and outside the party have pointed to his shifts between parties — from SLPP to APC, then CDP, and efforts to re-engage with the SLPP — as raising questions about consistency.
Context of the Directive
Sir Jimmy Batilo Songa was elected SLPP National Chairman at the party’s 14th National Delegates Conference in 2025, succeeding Dr. Prince Alex Harding. He has emphasised party unity, institutional strengthening and preparation for 2028. The letter underscores the party’s position that dual or conflicting membership claims are incompatible with SLPP rules governing identity and aspirant status.
The directive comes as internal contestation for the 2028 SLPP flagbearership intensifies, with several figures seeking grassroots support. Tarawally has not yet publicly responded to the letter at the time of writing. The expected press release from the SLPP is likely to clarify the party’s official stance to members and the public.
The development highlights ongoing questions about party membership discipline, the application of the SLPP Constitution, and the rules governing who may legitimately seek the party’s highest ticket as Sierra Leone moves toward the next electoral cycle.
