In Sierra Leone, thirst and quest for parliament
The 25th of September saw the closure of Parliament, which was full of joy for some Members of Parliament, and the opposite for many others. Apparently, it was a joy and pain situation, taking into cognizance few remarkable happenings that took place at the well of parliament that day that left indelible marks in the minds of many compatriots.
Firstly, the undeniable, eloquent and confident manner in which His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma delivered his state of the nation address in the well of parliament that took over an hour with standing ovations most of the time. Remarkable, right ?
Second, was when the speaker of parliament in his closing remarks solemnly mentioned the non-coming back of some members to Parliament after the November 17 General Elections. An undisputable fact that left some MPs jittery with the fact in their minds and conscience that they did nothing for their constituency over the past five year they took office.
There are some who did not even pay a visit to the people who voted them to Parliament and who they were supposed to be representing, and now they will have to return to them again and face them, but with which face? These are of the category that may not be coming back to Parliament.
The thirst and quest for Parliament is rapidly graduating as is evident in the case of the NDA Party, where at the eleventh hour of polling are operating an unsettled house that seems to be in disarray over who should be the party’s running mate. The responsibilities and obligations of running a political party is not even an iota of national governance responsibilities, so if you cannot organize your affairs, what can you actually offer mama Sa.Lone?
The people, as a nation, are calling on all MPs, would be MPs and Presidential Flag bearers to abstain from doing anything sinister or undemocratic in their political pursuit as power is in the hands and votes of the people. The National Electoral Commission’s (NEC) Chief Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Christiana Thorpe has declared the number of eligible registered voters as 2,692,635 for the November polls, so excess votes are not expected.
This is a democratic nation and we are expecting violence free and democratic elections like the previous one in 2007.
Apparently, most MPs did not do their homework as their boss, the energetic Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma who today is inevitably anticipating a landslide victory.
Rumors, anticipation and speculation have been shrouding the late pronouncement of President’s Koroma’s running mate choice, which many political pundits referred to as a classic move in maintaining his VP, Samuel Sam Sumana as his running mate. Since day one, it seems President Koroma had been making all the right moves and his latest move in pronouncing his running mate is one that qualifies him as indeed a ‘world best’ as the writing on the wall spells – leave no man behind, we started together and must finish it together.
Do not underestimate the political status-quo as power is in the hands of 2,692,635 unpredictable compatriots.
By E. Awotelli-Cole
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