- Seven of 10 Sierra Leoneans (70%) say the level of corruption in the country increased during the year preceding the survey.
- While public perceptions of corruption among the police decreased from 2012, a majority (59%) of respondents still say “most” or “all” police officials are corrupt – the highest level of perceived corruption among public institutions.
- Sierra Leoneans express lower levels of trust in the president, local government councillors, the National Revenue Authority, the ruling party, and the army than they did in 2012. The proportion who say they trust the president “somewhat” or “a lot” declined from 70% to 52%.
- Barely half of Sierra Leoneans (51%) approve of the president’s performance, and seven of 10 (71%) disapprove of the performance of their MP.
- A huge majority (82%) of Sierra Leoneans ”agree” or “strongly agree” that political party leaders are more interested in advancing their own ambitions than in serving the interests of the people.
Fourteen years after the end of its civil war, Sierra Leone continues to struggle with weak governance, widespread poverty, and systemic corruption that undermine efforts toward sustainable development.
These challenges are reflected in citizens’ perceptions expressed in the latest Afrobarometer survey. A large majority of Sierra Leoneans say the level of corruption in the country has increased over the past year. Compared to the previous survey in 2012, citizens express lower levels of trust in the president, Parliament, local government councillors, the National Electoral Commission, the National Revenue Authority, courts of law, and the army. Moreover, seven of 10 Sierra Leoneans disapprove of the performance of their members of Parliament (MPs) and local government councillors. With two years remaining until the next general election, these findings indicate potential roadblocks ahead for the country’s political leaders and the sustainability of democratic governance.
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