Protests Turn Deadly in Sierra Leone Over Rising Cost of Living
New York TimesNov 28, 2022
The Facts
Tensions are rising in Sierra Leone as the West African country prepares for its presidential election set for Saturday. 12 candidates are challenging the incumbent President Julius Maada Bio in his bid for a second and final term.
At least one person is dead following violence that erupted Wednesday outside of the All People's Congress — the main opposition party — headquarters facility. A spokesperson for that party said that a supporter was killed by the police.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
It's hoped that Sierra Leone's democratic and peaceful election will serve as a beacon of hope for other nations in the region and the international community at large. An election without violence and chaos will show the world that Sierra Leone is politically stable and growing through peaceful and achievable means. Once the election has concluded, Sierra Leone hopes to inspire regional neighbors like Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Mali to seek harmonious and nonviolent transitions of power in the future.
Establishment-critical narrative
In 2022, the government-sanctioned two internet shutdowns in response to anti-government protests. These actions demonstrate the government's willingness to stray from democracy by not only taking away people's ability to educate themselves on the issues but also taking away a vital resource. There are reasons to be concerned that Sierra Leone's elections may not be the beacon of democracy on the world stage as hoped — volatile democratic backsliding is possible.