By Alusine A. Sesay
Over the weekend, when I read that President Julius Maada Bio had appointed a new Minister of Energy, Mr. Cyril Arnold Grant, I initially perceived nothing unusual about it — particularly concerning Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella (KKY).
Prior to this appointment, the Deputy Ministers of Energy I and II were directly answerable to the then Chair of the Energy Governance Coordination Group, Dr. Yumkella. And, of course, Yumkella himself was answerable only to President Bio.
However, when I came across the wording of KKY’s congratulatory statement to the newly appointed Minister of Energy, Mr. Cyril Arnold Grant, I thought to myself: “Wait a minute — there is more to this appointment than meets the eye. Let me examine this further.”
Yumkella’s congratulatory statement read:
“I congratulate Mr. Cyril Grant on his appointment as the substantive Minister of Energy. Mr. Grant is a highly accomplished technocrat with a robust technical understanding of the energy sector.”
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that remark — it appears perfectly normal.
Yet, upon reading his subsequent statement, I immediately realised that something was amiss.
KKY further stated:
“I thank President Julius Maada Bio for providing me the opportunity to manage the sector over the past 14 months and navigate the various crises. Through M300, we have successfully established a clear vision and mission for the sector.”
The structure and tone of this second statement clearly indicate that KKY was subtly referring to the end of his service managing the sector — in other words, he had been relieved of his duties.
The statement carries a distinctly valedictory tone.
The use of the past tense subtly signals the conclusion of his executive mandate over the energy portfolio, implying that he had been removed from this central role.
This development naturally invites scrutiny of the potential catalysts behind his apparent dismissal. What could have led to Maada Bio’s decision to relieve KKY of his position?
In the public domain, a confluence of allegations has been levelled against Yumkella.
These include claims that he misrepresented the status of funding for the Mission 300 (M300) energy initiative — creating the impression that it was a Sierra Leone–specific project, rather than a pan-African venture of which Sierra Leone is merely one participant.
Further criticisms — largely propagated by social media commentators — depict KKY as domineering, dismissive of advice, and resistant to teamwork. They describe him as imperious and difficult to collaborate with, allegedly prompting numerous complaints to Maada Bio from his peers.
More serious, though unsubstantiated, insinuations question his motives, suggesting an undue interest in prospective grant funds associated with the energy project.
Honestly, I have not witnessed such a barrage of criticism directed at a potential flagbearer of a political party in Sierra Leone since the start of 2025.
I had, in fact, warned KKY several months ago that his fiercest critics would not come from the Opposition All People’s Congress (APC), but from his former National Grand Coalition (NGC) colleagues — those he provoked and alienated before defecting to the SLPP.
However, after reviewing numerous remarks made over the weekend, I noticed a new trend.
Unfortunately for KKY, his pool of critics has grown considerably. His detractors now include not only his former NGC colleagues but also members of his current SLPP party — particularly those who may view him as a threat in the forthcoming contest for the SLPP flagbearer position.
He now has quite a burden to bear, if you ask me.
Can he overcome this new wave of critics?
From my professional assessment, the answer is no — I do not think he can, unless he does the unthinkable: returning to the recommendations I outlined for him in an article I wrote over three months ago.
I advised him to descend from his high horse and make a genuine effort to reconcile with his former NGC colleagues — by sincerely apologising for how he treated them and for taking their contributions and sacrifices for granted.
So far, he has failed to do so.
And now, he faces considerable challenges if he hopes to survive the political battle that lies ahead.
And what is that battle?
It is the impending contest for the SLPP flagbearership.
This will be an exceptionally difficult challenge, especially in light of a recent article suggesting that Maada Bio has declared he will not openly support any candidate for the SLPP flagbearership.
This, in effect, appears to be a diplomatic way of saying that Maada Bio will not support KKY’s candidacy.
From my observation, I do not believe that Maada Bio trusts KKY — and indeed, the distrust appears mutual.
At the core of the issue lies a fundamental and reciprocal mistrust between the two figures.
Yumkella reportedly views Maada Bio as unreliable, while Maada Bio seemingly doubts that a Yumkella presidency would offer him future protection.
Given Maada Bio’s well-documented political astuteness and his prioritisation of self-preservation, it is difficult to foresee him endorsing a candidate he perceives as independently minded and potentially unmanageable.
Therefore, the fulfilment of Yumkella’s flagbearer ambition appears improbable under the present circumstances.
His subsequent political trajectory remains a subject for ongoing observation.
We shall have to wait and see what unfolds in the coming months for this man.
