Day One of the Presidential Town Hall in Kenema brought together government officials, traditional leaders, students, and citizens in a landmark civic event held for the first time outside the capital, Freetown organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
Held at the Kenema City Hall, the Town Hall featured speeches, student competitions, and public participation, with photo moments capturing a cross-section of Sierra Leone’s leadership and civic actors engaging directly with the people. (Images credit: Spark Media)
Prominent Figures in Attendance
Notable attendees included the Minister of Information and Civic Education, the Deputy Minister, the Resident Minister East, Paramount Chiefs, school delegations, civil society groups, journalists, bloggers, and members of the general public. The visual atmosphere reflected the diversity and scale of the engagement.
Civic Voices Take Centre Stage
Photos from the day captured by Spark Media show a packed hall, with traditional leaders delivering statements alongside government ministers. In his remarks, the Deputy Minister of Information reassured citizens that the move to go outside Kenema was to show how the decentralized the government is noting “Freetown is not Sierra Leone,” while the Resident Minister highlighted the importance of decentralising access to the presidency.
Student Debate and Quiz Competition
A major visual highlight was the Civic Debate and Quiz Competition, which featured seven schools competing across three intensive rounds. Participating schools included:
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Government Secondary School
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Islamic Secondary School
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Community Initiative Academy
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Holy Rosary Secondary School
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Sierra International Academy
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And two others from the eastern region
Students engaged on topics including citizenship, accountability, and governance—captured in photographs showing youthful enthusiasm and competitive spirit.
A Symbol of Open Governance
Images from Day One also show engaged audiences, energetic moderators, and media personnel broadcasting live coverage. The event marks a new step in participatory democracy, with visuals highlighting a national effort to bring the presidency closer to ordinary citizens.
What’s Next
The Town Hall continues tomorrow with a scheduled Q&A session involving President Julius Maada Bio. Citizens will have the opportunity to pose direct questions to the President and other top officials on pressing national issues.
