MONOPOLY MAFIA EXPOSED
…Shalimar Strangles TVS Bike, Kekeh Markets
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara
Sierra Leone’s Tricycle (kekeh) industry has been thrown into controversy as Shalimar Trading Company stands accused of illegally monopolizing the importation of TVS tricycles (kekehs), strangling competition, and using the police to enforce its grip on the market.
Multiple sources allege that Shalimar, through shady political connections and intimidation tactics, has blocked rival ventures—including businessman Jagaban’s proposed tricycle (kekeh) assembly factory, which promised jobs, cheaper prices, and a boost to the local economy. Instead, Shalimar is said to have ensured that no other trader can procure kekehs from India, maintaining exclusive control of TVS products through what observers describe as “dubious means.”
Critics say this is nothing short of economic suffocation, branding Shalimar’s stranglehold an assault on Sierra Leone’s free market economy, which by law guarantees all citizens the right to trade. “This company is holding the market hostage, with the police acting as its private enforcers,” one furious business insider told this newspaper.
Observers add that the alleged monopoly is inflating prices, discouraging investors, and creating a climate of fear. Reports suggest that police officers act “at the beck and call” of Shalimar executives, moving against anyone who dares to challenge the company’s dominance.
In the midst of these damning allegations, Hassan Mroue, CEO of Shalimar Trading Company, has refused to respond. This newspaper sent him an official request for clarification, which was read but deliberately ignored, raising further concerns about the company’s transparency and accountability.
Civil society groups and business leaders are now demanding urgent government intervention to dismantle Shalimar’s alleged monopoly, investigate the role of the police, and restore fairness to the market. “If this continues unchecked, it will destroy entrepreneurship and deepen poverty,” a civil society activist warned.
For now, Sierra Leone’s kekeh market remains locked in the grip of one powerful company, accused of exploiting connections and silencing rivals, while ordinary citizens pay the price.