KONO’S SCORECARD: TEN YEARS OF PROMISES, WHERE IS THE TRANSFORMATION?
A Critical Citizen’s Assessment of the SLPP Government’s Infrastructure Record in Kono
By Rev. Dr. Andrew T. Gbandeh-Mitta
24 August 2026
As a citizen of Koidu, I speak not as a partisan, but as a concerned son of Kono. This is not an attack on the SLPP—it is an urgent, honest audit of promises made versus ground delivered.
With the SLPP now approaching the end of its second five-year term, the question of delivery is no longer theoretical. President Bio has repeatedly vowed to correct Kono’s historical injustice. That is a powerful promise—but injustice cannot be corrected by words alone. It must be measured by visible transformation in the lives of our people.
LET US GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE
I commend the Government for the notable improvement in electricity supply. That is tangible progress and must be acknowledged.
However, public discourse demands accuracy. The Paul E. Farmer Maternal Centre of Excellence in Koidu is a blessing—but it should not be misrepresented as an exclusive SLPP Government project. According to Partners In Health, construction began in 2021 and the facility opened in February 2026, developed through years of partnership. While the Ministry of Health collaborated, primary construction and financing came from Partners In Health, Build Health International, and the Nerdfighteria community led by John and Hank Green.
To assess performance honestly, we must distinguish between projects directly delivered by Government and those brought to life by NGOs, donors, and international partners. That distinction is not pedantry—it is basic accountability.
THE ROAD QUESTION CANNOT BE IGNORED
This is where my concern as a Kono citizen deepens into frustration. The major road connections we have been promised remain a painful source of delay.
The Government has publicly announced the Koidu–Guinea Border Highway—a 78-kilometre, US$94 million project. Therefore, my question is simple but urgent: Where is the completed road?
Kono demands a public audit. If it is under construction, how many kilometres are actually paved? What has been spent, and what remains? If it has stalled, tell us why. Produce the independent engineering assessments, the certificates of work completed, and the current timetable. This is not an unreasonable demand; it is the minimum standard of public accountability.
WHEN CITIZENS MUST BUY SHOVELS AND PICKAXES
What stings most is the painful irony of generous citizens reportedly purchasing shovels and pickaxes for young people to manually work on roads.
How did we reach a point where citizens must mobilise basic tools to make roads passable? Road construction is fundamentally a government responsibility. Kono is not poor in natural resources; for generations, our diamonds and minerals have fueled Sierra Leone’s economy. The question, therefore, is not whether Kono has contributed—but what has Sierra Leone returned to us?
KONO UNIVERSITY: FROM PROMISE TO PERMANENT REALITY
The Kono University of Science and Technology requires more than repeated announcements. Government has spoken of a US$32 million construction plan, but Kono needs a fully functioning permanent campus. We must know: when will it be completed? How much has actually been spent? Will it have the laboratories and libraries to truly be a centre of excellence, rather than a political symbol?
POLITICAL HEADQUARTERS VERSUS BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE
From my own observation, it appears that considerable urgency and resources have been mobilised for SLPP party structures in Kono, while our fundamental needs—roads, water, education, and healthcare—remain unresolved.
I am not saying parties should not have offices. But citizens are entitled to ask: if resources can be found for political infrastructure, why can the same urgency not be shown for public infrastructure that affects every household? Development is not measured by the strength of a party office; it is measured by the quality of life of ordinary citizens.
WATER, JOBS, AND OUR MINERAL WEALTH
Beyond roads, we must confront the silent crises of safe drinking water and youth unemployment. What is the current investment in water infrastructure for Koidu and its surroundings? Where are the sustainable jobs and technical training opportunities for our young population?
And then, the most uncomfortable question of all: where is the lasting development dividend from Kono’s mineral wealth? We need greater transparency on mining revenues, community agreements, environmental rehabilitation, and the long-term economic future of our district after the minerals decline. Correcting historical injustice means transforming the very relationship between Kono and the national economy—not just building isolated projects.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS FOR HON. SAA EMERSON LAMINA
Tonight’s radio engagement is a moment for accountability. I respectfully put these questions to Hon. Lamina:
1. Where is the documentary evidence of the Koidu–Guinea road construction—kilometres completed and money spent?
2. What is the current status of the Koidu–Kenema and Koidu–Gardohun roads?
3. Why are citizens still mobilising shovels to work on roads that Government should be building?
4. When exactly will the major outstanding roads be completed?
5. What is the current, verifiable status of Kono University’s permanent campus?
6. How much has Government actually invested directly in Kono’s infrastructure since 2018?
7. What concrete programmes are creating sustainable employment for Kono’s youth?
8. What is the comprehensive plan for reliable water supply in Koidu and beyond?
9. Which projects presented as government achievements were actually funded by NGOs, donors, or international partners, versus direct government expenditure?
10. After nearly ten years in office, why should Kono citizens continue waiting for projects promised years ago?
KONO DOES NOT NEED DEFENDERS; IT NEEDS ADVOCATES
I am not asking Kono to hate the SLPP, nor to support another party. I am asking Kono citizens to ask these questions regardless of who is in power. If the APC failed Kono, I would ask the same. If the SLPP fails Kono, I must ask the same. Our ultimate loyalty is to Kono and Sierra Leone—not to political parties. We must separate partisan loyalty from civic responsibility.
CONCLUSION: KONO HAS WAITED LONG ENOUGH
I commend the Government for electricity improvements and for any demonstrably attributable projects. I also commend the international partners and citizens whose contributions have brought value to our district.
But I cannot tell my fellow citizens that everything is well. It is not. The SLPP is approaching the end of its second term, and Kono is still waiting for the transformative promises that were meant to define this era.
President Bio promised to correct a historical injustice. That promise must now be measured by results—not speeches, not rallies, not party offices, not announcements.
If the roads have been built, show us the evidence, and Kono will commend you. If they have not, tell us the truth and give us a credible timetable.
Kono has given Sierra Leone diamonds, gold, labour, and enormous economic value for generations.
Kono deserves more than political promises.
Kono deserves development.
Kono deserves accountability.
Kono deserves transparency.
Kono deserves results.
Rev. Dr. Andrew T. Gbandeh-Mitta
Citizen of Kono | Koidu, Sierra Leone
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