Manipulated election
Dear Editor, I join the majority of Sierra Leoneans in the Diaspora to express my disappointment for the “manipulated election” by SLPP delegates of ex-military junta leader Maada Bio, despite his terrible criminal record, to be candidate for the presidency of our motherland, Sierra Leone, just because he is a Mende man. Instead of Maada Bio aspiring to go to State House he should be arrested and taken to court and be proven to him beyond reasonable doubt that he should be locked up in Pademba Road or Mafanta prison for the rest of his life for his role in the killing of 28 innocent brothers.
What message does John Benjamin and his cronies want to give us? From all accounts, the election of Maada Bio, instead of more competent people like Dr. Kaddie Sesay, was tribally based. When can Sierra Leoneans wake up and remove tribalism from our national politics? It is true that political parties all over the world would have parts of their country as strong holds. The case of Sierra Leone is completely different. Our political divide is not based on ideology but based on tribal identity.
Could it be that John Benjamin saw that the other candidates are too decent to face-up the respected and excellent gentleman Ernest Bai Koroma? Is that the reason he pushed for Maada Bio with a very violent past to be elected as the party’s presidential candidate? Is the SLPP planning to take Sierra Leone into another war in 2012 that is why they want an ex-junta leader to lead them in that battle? All indicators are that the APC with Ernest will win the 2012 elections. SLPP is very nervous because they already see that they cannot, challenge the successes of Ernest. They have been claiming that all Ernest has been doing is gains he inherited from the previous SLPP government. May be the SLPP can fool our illiterate population but not the many of us who are familiar with the way donor countries and agencies fund development projects. Just in a very simple language, the then SLPP government may have received commitments for aid to Sierra Leone but all aid was withheld because they were not trusted; NOT EVEN Mr. Kabba trusted the team he had.
The reason for the SLPP being so bitter with Mr. Kabba and accusing him of betraying their party.
I am pleading to all decent and peace loving Sierra Leonean not to be pushed back into war by power hungry politicians. Mr. Bio has failed Sierra Leone as a soldier and wants to use a historically respected political party in our country to make a comeback from his hiding. Let us all push for new legislation that will ensure that all elections in Sierra Leone are conducted peacefully, without voter intimidation. Every candidate must feel free to campaign in his/her constituency. No road blocks, no screaming, no insults, no fighting. Anybody who interferes the process, which should be free and fair MUST face the full force of the law. If you believe your message to the electorate will make you win deliver it peacefully and let the people decide freely.
Here, in Canada, where I live elections come and go with no noise. All we see during election campaigns are candidates’ flyers in our mail boxes, candidates or their representatives knocking at doors to solicit for votes, TV discussion and radio advertisements. PLEASE SIERRA LEONE WE ARE IN THE 21 ST CENTURY WAKE UP TO CIVILESED ELECTIONS CONDUCTS.
Sorry, to say this to my SLPP brothers and sisters we do not need a man with a dirty criminal record to lead our nation. For peace in Sierra Leone, amnesty was given to him but that has not changed his criminal record.
G.A. Sillah Kargbo, Alberta, Canada
Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
© 2011, https:. All rights reserved.
Jason Kobba
/
Good journalism also makes space for constructive criticism.
7th August 2011If you take a look at Bio`s trackrecord,you won`t be quite wrong to think he has the potential to become violent, which is a cause for concern for every peace loving sierraleonean.On the other hand, he´s one of the pioneers of our young delicate democracy in Sierra Leone today.
Why did republicans elect George W Bush as their presidential candidate? He was surely not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Well, personally, i think he had the potential to win.It´s all about winning.SLPP wants to win, so do APC.
I am neither affiliated to SLPP nor to the rulling APC party.
Ernest is doing a decent job right now and i personally think he deserves a second chance. One thing i have to say, though, is he has to weed out some corrupt guys around him who could potentially jeopardise the good job he´s doing.A word for the wise is enough.
If he continues doing what he´s doing, i think sierraleaneans are smart enough to give him another chance.
He should not see the election of Maada Bio as a set back, rather as a wake up call to prove to sierraleoneans he can do a better job.He has to do his homework deligently. May God help sierraleoneans choose the person who has their best interest at heart.God bless Sierra Leone.