By Ibrahim Sesay
The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has issued a fine of One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Leones (NLe120, 000) to the All Peoples Congress (APC) for breaching Section 39(1)(d) of the Political Parties Act (No. 25 of 2022). The fine, announced on Monday 17th November 2025, follows what the Commission describes as “incendiary and inciting” statements made by Hon. Lahai Marrah, APC’s Falaba District Chairman, during a civic engagement event on Saturday 15th November 2025.
A coalition of leading civil society and media institutions has also strongly condemned Hon. Lahai Marah’s remarks, describing them as “reckless,” “inflammatory,” and a direct threat to Sierra Leone’s national security.
Hon. Lahai Marah, a former Member of Parliament and current APC District Chairman, reportedly declared his readiness to “fight,” “resist,” and engage private military actors, comments which the organisations say signal a dangerous willingness to challenge state security institutions. The joint release notes that such statements are especially troubling given Sierra Leone’s fragile peace and ongoing democratic reforms.
The coalition warned that rhetoric of that nature undermines national stability, endangers citizens and erodes public trust. It urged the APC leadership to publicly distance the party from Hon. Lahai Marah’s conduct, take disciplinary action and put measures in place to prevent similar occurrences.
The organisations further commended the PPRC for its swift intervention, urging the Commission to continue enforcing the law impartially and consistently, while cautioning that retaliatory political actions could escalate tensions. Civil society leaders labelled Hon. Lahai Marah’s remarks as an affront to the principles of peace, non-violence and responsible political engagement.
They emphasized that at a time when Sierra Leone is working to rebuild public confidence in democratic institutions, political actors must exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law. “We remain fully committed to ensuring that Sierra Leone continues to be a nation where political competition is never equated with threats, intimidation or incitement to violence,” the release stated.
The coalition comprises:
- Budget Advocacy Network (CGG, NMJD, TDS, TI-SL, AASL, WABEAN, CA)
- Campaign for Good Governance (CGG)
- The Lawyers Centre
- Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ)
- Institute for Governance Reform (IGR)
- African Women’s Leaders Network Sierra Leone Chapter (AWLN-SL)
- 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone
The groups reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding peace, accountability, and national stability.
The PPRC says the APC had been cautioned in a letter dated 11th November 2025 over similar contraventions. According to the Commission, Hon. Lahai Marrah’s statements at the District Council Hall in Falaba Town, during an event organized by the Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat, breached regulations intended to prevent inflammatory political rhetoric. The APC has been given fourteen days to settle the fine.
In a related development, the PPRC disclosed that on Tuesday 11th November 2025 it convened a meeting with leadership of both the APC and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), warning them about rising inciting, inflammatory and derogatory statements by members and operatives on traditional and social media platforms.
PPRC Chairman Emmanuel Koivaya Amara Esq. expressed serious concern over this trend, stressing that irresponsible political speech threatens national stability and undermines democratic progress. “You cannot sell your ideologies with fists or derogatory speeches,” he said, noting that both parties had violated Section 39(1)(d) of the Act.
The APC and SLPP leaderships admitted their breaches and pledged to work jointly to prevent future incidents. The engagement concluded with both parties signing an agreement, witnessed by the PPRC and the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), to desist from such conduct.
The PPRC continues to urge all political actors to uphold peace, tolerance, and lawful political engagement, as required by national regulations.
