Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has urged Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad to maintain peace, unity, and national cohesion, emphasising that long-term development is dependent on harmony, collective effort, and a common sense of purpose. He appealed on June 20, 2026, while serving as Guest of Honour at a celebration in London commemorating the safe return of Sierra Leonean pilgrims who had completed Hajj 2026.
The event, hosted by Yaadu Travel Services, honoured a second group of Sierra Leonean pilgrims from the United Kingdom and Europe who took part in the government-sponsored Hajj programme. The ceremony, held at Camberwell’s The Ark Hall, brought together government officials, religious leaders, community representatives, and pilgrim families to recognise their accomplishments and improvements to the national Hajj process.
Vice President Jalloh praised President Julius Maada Bio’s directive to include Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora under the country’s Hajj quota, stating that the policy change has made the pilgrimage more accessible to citizens who previously faced barriers to participation. He highlighted recent reforms that have strengthened the Hajj programme by increasing efficiency, transparency, and service delivery, claiming that the measures have created a safer and more reliable route for pilgrims travelling from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
The Vice President expressed satisfaction that all Sierra Leonean pilgrims had returned safely and assured attendees that the government would continue to work to improve the programme. He praised the collaboration between the Presidential Task Force for Hajj and Yaadu Travel Services, emphasising that the partnership was formed in response to previous registration issues and tragic incidents in which diaspora pilgrims made unsafe or irregular travel arrangements.
The celebration also included the presentation of certificates to the pilgrims who completed Hajj 2026, as well as formal recognition of the Government of Sierra Leone and the Presidential Task Force for Hajj for their contributions to increasing pilgrimage access. Participants described the initiative as a watershed moment for the Sierra Leonean diaspora and a shining example of constructive engagement between the government and citizens abroad.
Dr Morie Komba Manyeh, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Mrs Yvonne King Odigboh, Deputy High Commissioner, were among those in attendance. Senior government officials in attendance included Dr Turad Senesie, Minister of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning; Umaru Napoleon Koroma Esq., Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources; and Alhaji Mohamed Haji Kella, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Gender, and Children’s Affairs and member of the Presidential Task Force for Hajj. Religious leaders and community members also attended the event to welcome the pilgrims home.
Speaking at the event, Alhaji Mohamed Haji Kella and Yaadu Travel Services CEO Alhaji Mohammed Saadu Jalloh praised President Bio and Vice President Jalloh for their leadership in transforming Sierra Leone’s Hajj operations. They stated that nearly 500 pilgrims from the United Kingdom and Europe took part in this year’s programme and expressed gratitude for their trust and cooperation.
The celebration concluded with prayers and heartfelt messages of gratitude, bringing a successful and emotionally charged end to a government-led effort to ensure diaspora Sierra Leoneans can access the sacred pilgrimage safely and with dignity.
