23/05/2026
Know the Chairperson of National Election Watch (NEW) – Charles Keif-Kobai
Charles Keif-Kobai is a distinguished Sierra Leonean civil society leader, governance advocate, and development practitioner with more than three decades of experience in democracy, elections, public accountability, civic engagement, and governance reforms.
He is widely recognized for his work with the National Election Watch (NEW), one of Sierra Leone’s leading civil society coalitions dedicated to election observation and the promotion of electoral integrity.
Early Activism and Peacebuilding
Charles began his activism in 1994 as a youth activist and later emerged as a prominent student leader in Sierra Leone during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
During Sierra Leone’s civil conflict, he played an active role in peacebuilding initiatives. In 1999, he participated in a peace lobby tour organized by the National Union of Sierra Leone Students (NUSS) to Germany, Belgium, Austria, and the United Kingdom. The delegation engaged the German and UK Parliaments, as well as the Austrian and Belgian governments, advocating for peace in Sierra Leone.
As a trained and certified UN Peace Animator, Charles worked with the Commission for the Consolidation of Peace (CCP) between 2001 and 2002. In April 2001, he was part of a United Nations-backed peace mission led by Dr. Dennis Bright to Makeni, then considered a no-go area, to engage rebel commanders in dialogue and encourage disarmament and peaceful reconciliation.
Leadership in Governance and Civil Society
Charles has served in several leadership and programme management roles across civil society organizations in Sierra Leone.
At NEW, he previously worked as Project Officer and Project Manager
In these capacities, he contributed significantly to:
* Election observation missions
* Civic and voter education
* Strengthening democratic processes
* Promoting electoral transparency and fairness
He is also the Founder and Executive Director of FORWARD-SIERRA LEONE, a civil society organization working on:
* Democratic governance
* Human rights
* Public accountability and service delivery
* Elections and electoral observation
* Public financial management and audit recommendations
* Access to information
* Police accountability
Advocacy and Public Engagement
For decades, Charles has remained actively involved in advocacy around:
* Electoral reforms
* Good governance
* Civic participation
* Transparency and accountability
He is widely known for speaking on:
* Open civic space
* Democratic participation
* Access to information
* Citizen engagement in governance
He strongly believes that:
* Open civic space strengthens democracy
* Restrictions on civic freedoms weaken accountability and citizen participation
* Access to information is essential for public accountability and effective service delivery
Professional Experience
Charles has worked with several reputable organizations, including:
Transparency International Sierra Leone - He worked as a Project Officer focusing on:
* Anti-corruption initiatives
* Governance reforms
* Land ownership and beneficiation issues
Society for Democratic Initiatives (SDI)
Between 2012 and 2016, he served in various capacities including:
* Accountability Officer
* Governance Director
* Programmes Director
His work focused on:
* Transparency and accountability
* Constitutional review
* Freedom of Information campaigns
* Democratic governance
Child Fund International (formerly Christian Children’s Fund – CCF)
Between 2003 and 2006, he served as:
* Credit Officer
* Development Officer
National Engagements
Charles Keif-Kobai has participated in several national dialogues and policy discussions on:
* Economic inclusion
* Human rights
* Constitutional review
* Youth empowerment
* Women’s empowerment
* Governance reforms
Educational Background
Charles holds qualifications in business, entrepreneurship, information systems, and engineering, including:
* Master of Business Administration (MBA)
* Degree in Global Entrepreneurship (E4Impact), University of Makeni (UNIMAK)
* Degree in Global Entrepreneurship (E4Impact), ALTIS Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy
* Bachelor of Science (BSc.) in Information Systems from Institute of Advanced Management and Technology (IAMTECH), affiliated with Njala University
* Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Milton Margai Technical University (formerly Milton Margai College of Education and Technology – MMCET)
In his early education, he attended St. Andrew's Secondary School and the Bo Government Secondary School.
He has also completed numerous professional and leadership short courses.
In Summary
Charles Keif-Kobai is widely regarded as a committed civil society leader and governance specialist whose work centers on:
* Electoral integrity
* Public accountability
* Democratic governance
* Citizen participation
* Access to information
* Human rights and civic engagement
His longstanding contributions continue to shape democratic discourse and governance reforms in Sierra Leone.
Charles Keif-Kobai is a household name in Sierra Leone. May God guide him in this new portfolio 🙏🏽
