By Francess Wright
Hawanatu Koroma’s name has become synonymous with courage, conviction and the high cost of political activism in Sierra Leone. Born on February 26, 1996, she was known among her peers as a hardworking and principled young woman whose passion for social justice inspired many. Balancing her professional duties as a Technical Support Specialist at Coastal Consultancy Services Sierra Leone Limited with her political role as Youth Liaison Officer for the East End region of Freetown Urban under the opposition All People’s Congress (APC), Hawanatu Koroma earned a reputation for her ability to mobilize and motivate young people toward civic engagement.
Her involvement in politics took a defining turn during the build-up to the August 10, 2022 nationwide protest, which sought to draw attention to the worsening economic conditions under the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Government. On the night of August 9, 2022, Hawanatu Koroma appeared on Tumac Radio between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., passionately urging citizens to participate in what she described as a “peaceful and lawful demonstration” to make their voices heard. Her message resonated widely, leading to a massive turnout, especially in the East End of the country capital, Freetown, the following day although there were other protesters in Makeni, Kabala in the provinces.
However, the peaceful protest in Freetown soon turned tragic. Security forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, leaving some dead and many others wounded. Among the victims were young people from the same communities where Hawanatu Koroma had been actively organizing. As the country mourned, the authorities began targeting individuals accused of instigating the protest and her name surfaced prominently among those labeled as “ring leaders.”
That night, according to multiple accounts, armed police officers stormed her residence in Freetown, arrested her and took her to an undisclosed location. Witnesses and family members later reported that she was subjected to severe beatings and sexual assault by four men. She was left bleeding and without medical care until the following morning. On August 11, 2022, she was released but warned sternly to abandon politics and to report daily at the nearest police station in her neighborhood. The warning, sources said, was chillingly clear; failure to comply could cost her life.
Traumatized and physically weakened, Hawanatu Koroma attempted to comply but, after reporting once to the police, she stopped out of fear for her safety. Her absence was quickly noticed and within days, the Sierra Leone Police declared her wanted for “failing to cooperate with ongoing investigations” related to the protest. The announcement not only heightened her sense of danger but also made her a visible target.
Friends say that by the time the police declaration became public, her face and name were being circulated among certain groups of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) supporters, some of whom viewed her as a traitor and one of the masterminds behind the August 10 protest. “If she had been spotted in the wrong place, she would have been lynched,” said a friend who helped her escape.
Fearing for her life, Hawanatu Koroma fled to Magburaka Town in the Northern Province, where she lived in hiding for some time, moving from house to house to avoid being discovered. Those who later met her said the once vibrant and outspoken young woman had become withdrawn and fearful, yet still clung to her belief in peaceful change and justice.
Her ordeal, observers say, reflects the growing risks faced by politically active citizens, particularly women, in Sierra Leone’s volatile political climate. “Hawanatu never called for violence,” one associate recalled. “She only wanted leaders to hear the people’s cry. But instead, she was hunted as an enemy of the state.”
For many, the events of August 10, 2022 remain a dark moment in the nation’s democratic journey; a day that exposed how fragile the line between civil activism and persecution can be. Today, the story of Hawanatu Koroma stands as a haunting reminder of what happens when citizens, especially the youth, dare to demand accountability in a system where dissent can mean danger. Hers is not just a story of suffering but of unbroken faith in the power of the people’s voice; a voice that, despite fear and silence, refuses to be erased.
