In an interview with PSC Report in March, former President of Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma stated that the use of new media is creating mistrust between incumbents and the main political parties in Africa. Koroma emphasized that democracy is being challenged globally in recent decades, especially with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, and new media is proving to be challenging for African democracy in the 21st century.
Koroma acknowledged that most African nations experienced political instability, unfree and unfair conduct of elections, lack of political pluralism, and civil wars. He expressed hope for the future of democracy in Africa, noting that while the current picture looks somewhat gloomy, it is far better than what occurred 20 to 30 years ago. Koroma identified economic hardship, the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor, and ethno-regional division as the root causes of electoral violence in some parts of the continent.
Drawing from his experience as an election observer in the continent, Koroma noted a commonality of considerable mistrust between incumbents and opposition parties, which results in the use of state security to harass, intimidate, arrest, and detain opposition politicians in the region.
Finally, Koroma shared some lessons as a former president to the African Union to manage governance deficit including engendering political pluralism, competition, and tolerance among political actors. Sierra Leone is set to hold its Presidential Election on June 24, 2023, with Koroma's party, the All People's Congress, competing against the incumbent Sierra Leone People's Party and several other parties.