Although various individuals in one way or the other contributed to the political success of President Julius Maada Bio, however, the current Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rahman Swarray (aka Rado) was very instrumental during the campaign trails culminating in massive victory for President Julius Maada Bio and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in the June 24, 2023 multi-tier elections.
Throughout the campaign period, in his capacity as Head of SLPP Campaign Communications, Rado judiciously and expansively used the traditional and social media to spread President Bio’s messages throughout the country.
He is on record for being the first Minister of Information and Communications who worked steadfastly with President Bio to raise the standard and moral of journalists in Sierra Leone’s media landscape.
He worked assiduously with President Bio to bring about the expunging of part five of the Public Order Act which before now, criminalized free speech and was used to put many journalists behind bars.
Mohamed Swarray, together with President Bio, was also very pivotal in organizing the first-ever media investment conference that attracted participants from many countries to see how the Sierra Leone media could benefit from international investment and investors.
For the first time in the history of media in Sierra Leone, the umbrella organization for media practitioners, Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) started receiving subvention from the Government as well as rendering assistance to progressive and public interest media organizations – thanks to President Bio and Rado Swaray.
It was him that piloted the first-ever annual Presidential Media Cocktail which attracted journalists from across the country to meet and discuss pertinent issues directly with President Bio.
Rado is the only Minister of Information and Communications that designed an annual media outreach programme for journalists to interact and exchange ideas on governance issues.
Thanks to him, the media landscape under President Bio’s tenure has been very cordial and free from political and other influences which before now undermined the efforts and work of the media in Sierra Leone.
Therefore, most people that have been following Rado’s industrious drives are of the opinion that, he deserves another five years because he has what it takes to develop the information and communications industry in the country.
Since 2018 when he was first appointed to that position by President Bio, the Ministry of Information and Communications has seen massive overhaul and improvement more than ever before in the history of Sierra Leone. It was the initiative of Mr. Swarray with support from President Bio that several media-related laws such as the Cyber Crime and Security Act which seeks to protect the cyber space and users of the internet were enacted.
He has been very vocal and frank in defending President Bio and his Government’s policies, programmes and plans.
In fact, some people actually wonder what would have become of the Information and Communications Ministry had Mohamed Rahman Swarray not been appointed Minister to such an important, sensitive and strategic arm of the Government.
He has a lot of respect for President Bio, the First Lady and his colleagues in and outside of the SLPP.
In fact, a diplomat described Swarray as an eloquent enigma and orator who has contributed immensely to the successes of President Bio’s Government in his first five years, adding that Swarray will add fodder and the necessary ingredients to make President Bio’s five more years in governance another five more successful years, if he is re-considered for cabinet position by His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
