SLPP promote tribalism by expelling Usu Boie

The founding fathers of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) will be crying in their graves today as those charged with the responsibility to lead their party continue to promote tribalism, intimidation and marginalisation against its membership. This is a strategy they use to drive away those they consider as outsiders. Sadly, it is an approach that contradicts the very One Country, One People ideology under which the SLPP was founded.

Sixty One years ago when the founding fathers of the present opposition were working tooth and nail to ensure they develop an all inclusive political party, it was never their plan to consider tribal, regional or religious background as a prerequisite for membership. Unfortunately, the present leadership has deviated from the unity their founders stood for.

Although, some members of the party will want to take exception to such accusation, it is rather becoming clearer every day as the leadership engage in activities that stop at nothing but to prove their accusers right.

Thus, the action of the party leadership to expel Alhaji Usman Boie-Kamara (Usu Boie) only succeeded in exposing the tribalistic agenda the party’s leadership have been promoting behind the scenes. It is true that what is in the dark will someday come to light.  Now it is clear for everyone to see.

After reading the expulsion letter signed by the present Secretary General, Sulaiman Banja Tejan- Sie, I was wondering what Usu Boie had done differently from those other members who had resigned their membership or are threatening to leave the party. I was surprised because there was no reason given for the expulsion.

Maybe, they fail to state any reason for the expulsion because it was their assumption that they are writing the letter to someone who is privy to a plan they have been crafting since the end of the flagbearer election- how to get rid of this powerful Usman Boie-Kamara.

I believe by now every sober minded Sierra Leonean will conclude that the SLPP leadership are guilty of chronic TRIBALISM and MARGINALISATION as charged.  This is so because, even before SLPP propagandist started making the rounds that Usu Boie is going to declare for the APC on Independence Day, 27^th April 2012, we have witnessed the resignation of many senior party members. But I can’t remember reading about any action of expulsion against people like JB Dauda, John Leigh, Tom Nyuma, and Ibrahim Sengu Koroma.  Also, never did I read that they had expelled Dr. Bu Bakai Jabbie who took the party to court in 2010. Yes! The very Bu Bakai Jabbie who had brought the party to disrepute and had caused them so many setbacks. In addition, even those party members who had publicly ridiculed the party and their flagbearer did not do enough to for them to be expelled. Therefore, to read of an expulsion of Usu Boie left me confused on why these SLPP academics choose to behave as they have never seen a class room door in the past.

Did they choose to single him out because, the  tribal or regional affiliation of those names mentioned above are people they consider will return to the SLPP someday,  just like Charles Margai or those who formed the PMDC did few years ago?

As I continue to read the expulsion letter several times, so many questions came to mind. I could not stop but asked myself, how stupid can the SLPP be.  Why did they choose to make such a deliberate mistake?  What has Usu Boie done differently from those who resigned before him? Why did they choose to single him out for expulsion? I honestly could not get around this but only succeeded in generating more and more questions.

Is it because Usu Boie is not a Mende?  Is it because he does not hail from the South East? Or is it because he happens to be the nephew of Former President Tejan Kabba?

As I continue to ponder, I tried to guess a possible reason for such action. Maybe, this might be part of their strategy to say never again in the history of the SLPP that an “outsider” (someone who is not a mende) should lead their party. Again, it can also be a possibility that he knows too much about the “sell game” tactics of some senior SLPP members (names withheld for now) and now those concerned are timid that he will expose their vicious acts.

Another serious reason could be that, the SLPP leadership are angry that Usu Boie who donated over USD $1Million for the SLPP in 2007 is refusing to bankroll their campaign this time around. Whatever their reason, I am still struggling to find a perfect answer to justify their stupidity.

I know Sierra Leoneans are not that stupid any more. The SLPP can fool the people sometimes but, cannot continue to fool them all the time. If the dodgy actions of their leadership were not clear to the general membership, they have just giving the public an open tip of what awaits all those who supported Usman Boie Kamara during the flagbearer election.

Senior party members on several occasions after the SLPP convention in 2011 are recorder to have made serious threat of discrimination against all those who supported Usu Boie. They had promised all Usu Boie supporters that be they Mende or not will remain in permanent opposition in the SLPP if Madda Bio happens to win the November 2012 Election. It seems that the SLPP leadership have started delivering on this promise already.

Let us say for argument sake, I am an SLPP member who supported Usu Boie and have decided to stay in the party even though Usu Boie had resigned his membership, this action to expell him will make me rethink my position. I will say if those who supported Usu Boie were in doubt of whether to stay or to resign from the SLPP; the writing is now clearly on the wall for them to see.

The misguided action of the SLPP Executive is a clear indication that Usu Boie and his supporters are not welcomed, have no place and have no chance in the party anymore. I am sure those in denial should be asking themselves; what is in the SLPP for them? Why should they contribute in arming those who had promised to kill them whenever they can? I am sure only stupid people will choose to provide ammunition for their enemy.

As I conclude, let me remind you all that once a coupist always a coupist. So, if people think that John Benjamin, Madda Bio and their likes are to be trusted, you have the worst coming your way.

Unfortunately, this time the SLPP have shot themselves in the foot or worst still, they have scored another costly own goal. You will prove me wrong when we start seeing a tsunami of resignation from the SLPP in the next couple of weeks.  However, I believe other Usu Boie supporters will continue to stay in the party as a strategic plan just so they can pay SLPP with their own coin when the time is ripe.

Alfred Lahai

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