Kadi Sesay

Kadi Sesay (born 4 March 1949 - 2025 ^[1]) was a Sierra Leonean politician, feminist, pro-democracy advocate and the vice presidential candidate of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). She served as Sierra Leone Minister of Trade and Industry from 2002 to 2007. She is the founder and Managing Director of Leone Consulting & Advisory Services – for Trade, Investment and Development. She is the mother of CNN International news anchor Isha Sesay.

Kadi Sesay
Deputy Chairperson of the Sierra Leone People's Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 2007
Sierra Leone Minister of Trade and Industry
In office 2002–2007
Preceded by	Osman Kamara
Succeeded by	Alimamy Koroma
Sierra Leone Minister of Development and Economic Planning
In office 1999–2002
Preceded by	James Jonah
Succeeded by	Mohamed B. Daramy
Personal details
Born	(1949-03-04) 4 March 1949 (age 76) Rotifunk, Moyamba District, British Sierra Leone
Died	15 June 2025(2025-06-15) (aged 75–76) USA
Political party	Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)
Relations	Isha Sesay (daughter)
Children	two children
Residence(s)	Freetown, Sierra Leone
Alma mater	Fourah Bay College University of Sheffield University of London
Profession	Lecturer, University professor

Early life and academic career

Kadi Sesay was born on 4 March 1949 in Rotifunk, Moyamba District, in Southern Sierra Leone, then a British Crown Colony, to parents from the Temne ethnic group from rural chieftaincy town of Rhombe, Lokomasama Chiefdom, Port Loko District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. She received her primary education from the EUB Primary School in Rotifunk, Moyamba District.

Sesay graduated from Fourah Bay College in Freetown in 1973 with a BA (Hons) degree in English Language and Literature. In 1974, she earned an MA degree in African literature at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom and took her PhD degree in Applied Linguistics at the University of London.^[2][3]

Political career

Sesay was a lecturer at Fourah Bay College for 20 years and became Head of the English Department. She spent 6 years chairperson for the National Commission for Democracy and Human Rights (NCDHR). She was the first woman in Sierra Leonean history to head a national commission. She left this post to serve as Minister of Development and Economic Planning which she did for 3 years. She was the Presidential running mate to Rtd. Brigadier Gen. Julius Madda Bio for the 2012 General Elections.^[2] Sesay was the first woman to run for the office of vice-president in the history of Sierra Leone.^[4][5]

Feminism

Sesay championed local campaigns for more women to participate in politics. She was the running mate of the opposition party for the 2012 General Elections.

Private life

Sesay was a widow and the mother of two adult children^[2]; son Mamud ^[6] and daughter Iesha. She lived in Freetown and was hailed in the local media as "one of the most beautiful women Sierra Leone ever produced".^[7] She was the mother of former CNN International news anchor Isha Sesay.

She died 15 June 2025 ^[8] after a prolonged illness.