By Deaborah Conteh
A public opinion poll by the Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) has identified corruption and lack of integrity as the leading causes of declining trust in leadership and public institutions in Sierra Leone.
According to the online survey, 53% of respondents said corruption and integrity failures had the greatest negative impact on their confidence in leaders, far exceeding other factors.
Political polarisation ranked second at 16%, followed by broken promises and unreliability at 14%. Misinformation and lack of transparency accounted for 9%, while economic insecurity and lack of political voice each stood at 4%.
The findings suggest that citizens view governance issues, particularly corruption, as a more significant driver of distrust than economic challenges.
The poll also indicates that political divisions are seen as a major obstacle to national progress, with respondents ranking polarisation above broken promises as a source of concern.
CHRDI said the results highlight a widening gap between public expectations and institutional performance, underscoring the need for reforms aimed at strengthening accountability, transparency and public trust.
