By Musa Kamara

On a crisp Tuesday morning appearance on AYV’s Wake Up Sierra Leone, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, Sierra Leone’s Energy Sector Lead and Chair of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF), made a bold and unapologetic statement about his political journey and current national service.

When asked directly about his next political agenda, Yumkella deflected speculation and instead pointed to measurable results he has delivered while in government.

“Judge me in December 2026 or judge me when I leave the energy and food security space,” he said, calmly but firmly. “What I have done for the country now, I would not have done in opposition.”

His remarks come at a time when many in political and civic circles are debating his future in Sierra Leone’s evolving political landscape. Yet, Yumkella appears unfazed by the chatter, choosing instead to let his work speak.

Observers note that this latest appearance may serve as a strategic positioning, reinforcing his impact while staying above the fray of active campaigning. Whether or not he re-enters the political arena ahead of the 2028 elections, his influence is already being felt.

Dr. Yumkella, a former presidential candidate and a respected figure in both local and international development circles, was appointed to lead a sweeping energy and food systems transformation under President Julius Maada Bio’s second-term administration. And within just eight months, he says, his team has moved mountains.

“I was appointed, and within eight months, I worked with the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture and, using my networks, we mobilized over $850 million in pledges,” he disclosed. “Some of that money is already materializing, like the $250 million recently signed by the Minister of Finance. I delivered that for the country.”

His comments come amid growing public debate about his political future, with many speculating whether he will once again seek higher office. But Dr. Yumkella's focus, for now, appears squarely on impact over ambition, and he wants Sierra Leoneans to hold him accountable not by promises, but by performance.

Whether this marks the prelude to a political reawakening or a legacy-defining contribution in public service, one thing is clear; Kandeh Yumkella wants to be judged not by rhetoric, but by results, and the clock is ticking toward December 2026.