In Sierra Leone – Kenema BRU Complain of Maltreatment
Members of Sierra Leone Commercial Motor Bike Riders Union (SLCOMBRU) in Kenema told Sierra Express Media in Kenema that for a long time they have been marginalised, particularly since the Resident Minister East-William J. Smith took reign of the political limelight.
Investigations carried out reveals that, the BRU member’s majority were ex-combatants and full of radical and youthful aged people who have the potential to mount chaos in any community. Seething in rage the BRU members in Kenema said they are not happy with their task force union leaders endorsed sometime back in Freetown to execute issues concerning their welfare.
For example, ‘the Freetown BRU task force union, Kailahun, Bo Makeni, Kono, Mile 91, Magburaka and other areas are wearing their uniforms, but the stakeholders in Kenema have forcefully banned BRU task force members from wearing their uniforms which if not handled with care has the tendency to ignite chaos in Kenema one day’, an anonymous BRU member stated.
Again, they said Makeni, Bo, and Kono authorities have provided a permanent piece of land for BRU members to build their offices but since they started lobbying Kenema authorities to extend similar facilities to them, they resorted in using politics and provocative statements against them by saying BRU members are not serious and responsible people. “This is not going down well with us and I see it as something that has the potential to cause chaos in Kenema someday,” they again stated, adding that their next option is to stage protest action against the Resident Minister East, the new Mayor-J.S. Keifala, the police authorities, the chiefs, and other influential people.
Another major problem that will lead to a broad daylight attack is the way the Kenema traffic police and the SLRTA staff are treating them in terms of driving and machine body licenses.
Speaking to the Kenema District BRU chairman, Mr. Papay Mando, he said sometime back they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the police and riders to respect any rider who has paid his license fee to SLRTA for that time till the proper documents are ready. “The police agreed and SLRTA too accepted to give riders a protection document that will be shown to the police when asked for riding documentations, Mr. Mando said but the police have stopped that agreement and begun arresting riders, collecting huge money from them.
He also said street lights were distributed to all strategic places but when the council came to their offices they dug hole and then later the pole was collected by a city councillor. “Councillor Funny collected it and fixed it somewhere to a business woman Yeama Hassan, and left our office empty, we are not happy about that,” the BRU chairman stated.
By Kamal M. Barrie in Kenema
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