Constituency 007 Secretary’s Home Burns

By: Munya Bawoh

The Constituency 007 community was thrown into grief and disbelief as fire engulfed the residence of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Secretary General in the evening hours of Tuesday 8 July 2025 at around 4:30 pm, reducing the home and all its contents to ashes.

The incident occurred in Daru Town, shocking residents and sympathizers who could only watch helplessly as the blaze consumed everything in its path. Despite efforts by neighbors to rescue what they could, the fire spread too quickly, leaving behind a trail of destruction and pain.

The cause of the fire according to Mohamed Bawoh alais Legacy, his two little boys were using the scratch lighter in the parlour of the building and when the lighter blazes with fire, it went out of control and no matured person was around them and the fire encroaches the surrounding of the inside building and resulted to the entire building to burnt down.

No injuries or fatalities were recorded, but the Secretary General and his family are now displaced, having lost personal belongings, furniture, clothing, important political and legal documents, and irreplaceable family memories. Speaking in tears, Mohamed Bawoh said:

“This is not just a house; this was my life, my family’s peace, and the place where I gave my best to serve my people and my party. Now, it’s all gone. I am pleading with well-meaning individuals, the government, the SLPP family, and NGOs to come to our aid. We need shelter, support, and a new start.”

Community members and political supporters from across the constituency have expressed shock and sympathy. The youth leader of the chiefdom Andrew Moinina Fatorma noted:

“The Secretary General has been a committed public servant and grassroots mobilizer. This is not just his loss it’s the community’s loss. We must help him get back on his feet.”

Calls have also gone out to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), SLPP national executives, philanthropic groups, and local councils to provide urgent relief, including food, clothing, bedding, and reconstruction support.

The team leader of Jawie Disaster Relief Action Group Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Jawara pledged to work with the NDMA and other partners to provide immediate emergency response. According to him, the Disaster Relief Action Group was formed to respond to Disaster issues relating to flooding, fire incident and other disasters within the chiefdom. As the group have been tasked with the responsibility of providing support from residents and other stakeholders to any affected persons or families.

He mentioned that a team was sent to the scene to go and examine the gravity of the situation and a comprehensive report have been gathered and plans are on the way to send in their support to their brother and his family in different ways.

Meanwhile, social media has been flooded with expressions of support and solidarity, with many Sierra Leoneans urging for more robust disaster response systems to assist citizens facing such tragedies.

This incident serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of homes to fires and the urgent need for improved fire safety awareness, community preparedness, and better access to emergency services especially in rural and under-resourced constituencies.

The SLPP Secretary General remains hopeful that with unity, compassion, and action, he and his family will rebuild stronger than before.