TAF Sierra Leone | Corruption & Imperial Influence

The Africa Federation – Sierra Leone Chapter will host a powerful public dialogue examining the deep-rooted inequalities in the nation’s employment system. Themed “Who Gets Hired? Corruption, Imperial Influence & Power Brokers in Sierra Leone’s Job Market,” this conversation will confront how systemic corruption, elite gatekeeping and foreign influence continue to shape hiring practices in both public and private sectors.

Moderated by Abu Bakarr Sesay, the discussion will feature key insights from:
Hymanson Sesay, representing the TAF Narrative initiative
Mohamed Musa Kamara, Coordinator of TAF-Sierra Leone Focus Units

The dialogue will explore:
- How political loyalty, bribery, and donor-backed hiring frameworks restrict access to jobs for ordinary Sierra Leoneans
- The impact of colonial legacies in language, education, and class on job market access
- First-hand stories of youth navigating pay-to-play systems and closed hiring loops

Participants will be invited to share their experiences through live chat, a Zoom poll, and Q&A. The event will also highlight strategies for reform, including:
- Campaigns for transparency audits in public and donor-funded recruitment
- Legal and institutional reforms to protect merit-based hiring
- Civil society mobilisation to demand equity and restore national hope

“The hiring system reflects who and what we value. If we truly want a new Sierra Leone, we must fight for a new logic, one where talent and effort define opportunity.” - Hymanson Sesay

“Merit must not die in silence. We must mobilise, educate and hold power to account, because our future depends on it.” - Mohamed Musa Kamara

This will be more than a discussion, it will be a rallying point.

Date: July 19, 2025

Schedule: 5:30pm Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) | 6:30pm West Africa Time (WAT) | 7:30pm Central Africa Time (CAT) | 8:30pm East Africa Time (EAT)

Location: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/dlqKo62aTeGxv5Yu0cgqAg