President Julius Maada Bio has commissioned 1,017 newly trained soldiers and officer cadets into the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), using the occasion to declare that the era of military intervention in the country’s politics “is over.”
The graduating class includes 89 officer cadets and 949 enlisted soldiers, among them 212 female recruits and 15 female officer cadets, marking one of the largest intakes of women in the force’s recent history. The recruits completed nine months of intensive training at the Armed Forces Training Centre and the Peace Mission Training Centre. Several trainees were dismissed during the programme for drug-related or disciplinary offences.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Bio said Sierra Leone “stands taller, prouder, and more secure” with the addition of a new generation of trained personnel. Drawing on his own military background, he praised the discipline and resilience of the graduates and expressed gratitude to the Chief of Defence Staff, training commandants, instructors, and families who supported the recruits.
He also honoured fallen soldiers and wounded personnel, emphasising that their sacrifices underpin the country’s hard-won peace. President Bio highlighted the achievements of the female graduates and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women in command, engineering, operational, and peacekeeping roles.
The President stressed that today’s security environment—shaped by terrorism, cyber threats, climate shocks, and regional instability—requires a highly professional, well-trained, and disciplined military. He acknowledged support from ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations, and other bilateral partners in strengthening training, logistics, and overall military readiness.
Reiterating his message of constitutional loyalty, President Bio said the country has moved beyond an era in which the military played a role in national politics. “The era of military intervention in Sierra Leone’s politics is over,” he said, urging the new soldiers to commit themselves fully to upholding democratic governance and the will of the people.
Bio also pledged improvements to military welfare, modernisation of equipment, and expanded training and peacekeeping opportunities, noting that the future of the RSLAF rests heavily on the professionalism and integrity of its newest members.
He closed by encouraging the graduates to serve with honour and pride, saying their careers hold “limitless promise,” just as his own journey from young cadet to Brigadier General and President demonstrates.
