Dr. Veronica Kadie Sesay

Abubakar Hashim

Dr. Veronica Kadie Sesay, Sierra Leone’s premier academic and politician, died today, 15 June, 2025.

She was born on 4 March, 1949 in the Sounthern District of Moyamba.
Kadie was a woman of substance, pedigree, and a rugged fighter, who solidly stuck to her principles.

Kadie was the country’s first female Vice Presidential contestant, on joint presidential ticket in 2012, with incumbent President Bio. Sierra Leone has never produced a female president since independence from Britain in 1961.

During that year’s Presidential campaign, when she was the Vice Presidential candidate of incumbent President Julius Maada Bio, the then Presidential spokesman of the then ruling APC party, Alfa Kanu, who, today, has switched over to the current ruling SLPP party, performing the same function, once told late Kadie Sesay to switch over to the ruling APC to contest for President. She was utterly furious at Alfa Kanu. TheNEWS wad there on the campaign trail when she remarked, “ over my dead body.“

Kadie was a strong, loyal and unrepentant SLPP supporter. She has never switched over, or cross carpeted to another party. A far cry from today’s African politicians, who cross carpet from one party to another, searching for greener pastures, based strictly on personal interests.

President Julius Maada Bio, today, expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of this unique and strong personality, not only in politics, but also in the academia.

She was also a Member of Parliament, Acting Speaker, Minister of Trade and Industry, in the administration of late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

A woman of regal splendour and unparalleled lustre, Kadie’s memories are forever indelible both in the political and academic world.

*Abubakar Hashim is TheNEWS’ West Africa Bureau Chief, based in Freetown.