Our 50th Independence Anniversary can’t be a one party affair!

This medium has been inundated with calls from a cross section of the public seeking an opinion on Sierra Leone’s 50^th independence anniversary.

The public want to know whether preparations ahead of the celebration are an APC affair alone, or whether the anniversary has been transformed into a political campaign jamboree by operatives of the ruling party?

They raised these questions against the backdrop of the none – or inactive involvement of other players from other political parties in an event that is supposed to be a national affair.

Sierra Express Media has been following preparations ahead of the anniversary and have observed with utter dismay the apparent politicization of this historic event.

We have clearly noticed the conspicuous absence of other Sierra Leoneans in the preparations other than agents of the ruling APC party. If Sierra Leoneans from other political parties have been playing any role, such role has been less visible.

We agree that the anniversary committee was carefully selected by His Excellency the President of the Republic with members representing different shades of opinion. The rationale for such composition was to ensure the total involvement of the people in the celebration.

Against this background, we expected to see our 50^th anniversary taking a national character with every Sierra Leonean playing a role of some sort, regardless of colour, sex, or political persuasion.

However, as April 27 draws nearer, what seems to be the case is the open display of misplaced interest by supporters of the ruling party regarding the celebration. In demonstrating loyalty to their party, the APC have taken centre stage in every activity while the rest of the populace stand by to watch – mere spectators, wondering if they are part and parcel of this country called Sierra Leone.

As a medium, we expected our 50^th independence anniversary to be the business of every Sierra Leonean and not just one political party.

We agree that the APC government is spearheading the process, and would want to take credit for a successful anniversary. Granted that is the desire of the party.  We also believe that every Sierra Leonean ought to be identified or associated with the anniversary, his or her place of origin notwithstanding.

We will therefore deplore any attempt by one political entity to hijack the celebration for political gains. In the same vein, we condemn any attempt to use our independence anniversary for political campaign purposes to score undue advantage over others.

Invariably, as we celebrate our independence anniversary, this medium will advise that as a people we utilize our national symbols as that would consolidate our unity much stronger than putting on our individual party colours.

In other words, we should be seen clad in our green, white and blue colours at every stage of the celebration and not just using one particular colour as it has been the case in many instances.

Our 50^th anniversary can’t be celebrated by one party alone!

Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!

---

© 2011, https:. All rights reserved.