Kailahun, 19th January, 2026 — Sierra Leone’s National Remembrance Day took on a forward-looking tone this year as Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh used the occasion in Kailahun to connect the memory of war victims with the promise of ongoing development in the region.
Kailahun, long regarded as the epicenter of Sierra Leone’s civil war, hosted the commemorations in recognition of its proximity to Bomaru, where the first shots of the conflict were fired in March 1991. But while the Vice President acknowledged the district’s painful history, he emphasized that remembrance must also inspire reconstruction and progress.
“Honouring the past is not enough,” Dr Jalloh told residents. “We must transform memory into action, building roads, schools, and opportunities that ensure such tragedy never repeats itself.”
Following the ceremony, the Vice President inspected road construction along the Kailahun–Koindu axis, part of government efforts to improve connectivity and stimulate economic growth in the east. He also met with local leaders to discuss reconciliation and community priorities, underscoring that remembrance is inseparable from tangible improvements in people’s lives.
Dr Jalloh’s visit was marked by warm interactions with residents — greeting youth, women, and elders, and spending time with children. His gestures symbolized solidarity with communities that bore the brunt of the war, while his message pointed to a future defined not by scars but by resilience.
The Kailahun event capped a three-day reconciliation tour of the eastern region, during which the Vice President engaged stakeholders in his dual role as Deputy Leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party and as a national figure promoting unity.
Observers say this year’s commemorations reflected a shift in tone: remembrance is no longer only about looking back, but about ensuring that the lessons of war fuel Sierra Leone’s journey toward peace, development, and national renewal.
