Sierra Leonean journalist and political commentator Melvin Tejan Mansaray has accused former President Ernest Bai Koroma of betraying Dr Samura Kamara, the All People’s Congress (APC) presidential candidate in the 2018 and 2023 elections.
Mansaray made the allegation while discussing Kamara’s political career and the internal disagreements within the APC, particularly following the disputed 2023 presidential election.
According to Mansaray, Koroma and some senior figures within the APC failed to provide Kamara with the political support he needed during critical moments in his career.
The allegation has renewed discussions about the relationship between the two politicians, who were once considered close political allies.
Koroma, who served as Sierra Leone’s President from 2007 to 2018, selected Kamara as the APC’s presidential candidate for the 2018 election and supported his campaign.
However, their relationship reportedly became strained following political disagreements, particularly over Kamara’s engagement with President Julius Maada Bio after the 2023 elections.
In March 2025, reports emerged of an alleged leaked conversation in which Koroma reportedly questioned Kamara’s decision to engage the government without consulting key APC stakeholders. The authenticity and full context of the recording have not been independently established.
Kamara has previously spoken about his relationship with Koroma, describing their association as one that extended beyond politics. He also expressed appreciation to the former president for supporting his emergence as the APC presidential candidate in 2018.
In his recently published memoir, My Circumstances of Life: Service, Betrayal, and the Struggle for Sierra Leone’s Democracy, Kamara discusses his political experiences, the disputed 2023 election and the deterioration of his relationship with Koroma.
Mansaray’s latest allegation comes as the APC continues to face internal political disagreements ahead of Sierra Leone’s 2028 general elections.
The claims have raised further questions about political loyalty, leadership and unity within the opposition party.
However, the accusation that Koroma betrayed Kamara remains Mansaray’s personal assessment and has not been independently established as fact.
