Kailahun, no better time like this

Kailahun is a politically strategic area that is always needed by the powers-that-be, no need denying this point. One may not be happy that at one point, political tolerance was not in Kailahun; a case in point being the Segbwema/Ernest attack, but this is a district that is always needed when it comes to voting time. 

This is politics, and one from the African perspective and thus, one should not be surprised that Kailahun, a stronghold of the opposition SLPP, is now literally spreading clothes for President Koroma and his APC party, in welcoming him, during a recent visit by the President to that part of the country. I was also in Kailahun, and crossed paths with the convoy of the President on his way to Kailahun, as I was coming from Koindu.  I was in Koindu, via Kailahun and I was not taken aback that Kailahun district was in the waiting for the President.

Now, let me attempt to take  you back down history; when President Koroma was canvassing the people of this country for their mandate to lead, he went almost in all the four corners of this country but Kailahun was not that prepared then to accommodate him, together with Charles Margai.  The story of what happened in Segbwema to Ernest and team is there so that even unborn children could come and read of that; they were chased out of Kailahun, and the vehicle of Ernest was allegedly destroyed by people alleged to be supporters of the then ruling, but now opposition SLPP party.

They were chased out of Kailahun district because, for the ordinary Mende man in that part of the country, just as in the case of the Limba man in the north for his APC, the SLPP is a religion in the southeast and so, taking another political religion, in the form of the APC to Kailahun, was in their view unacceptable, especially so, when their ‘son’ Charles Margai was seen with the APC. This is a sad but honest reality; the geopolitical arrangement of Sierra Leone has even accounted for our present status and until something is done to address this, we shall remain where we are.

I will not write against the people of Kailahun for not accepting the APC for they have their right to belong to a given political party, but I will say to them, it was wrong to ambush party leaders who were also going to exercise their political franchise. I will also say to them that in politics, there should always be open hands on those who will vote at the end of the day, for the need result shall only be determined after polling and when once a candidate you were supporting failed to win, it becomes politically disastrous.

Despite the reluctance of the Kailahun people then to accept the APC and Ernest Koroma, together with Charles Francis Margai, Ernest was all the same voted as President. But that was not the end it was also time for Ernest Koroma to unite the country and see how those who never had love for him could love him and cast their votes for him come 2012. And this, I think is what he is now trying to achieve.  Ernest Koroma has seen the need to also meet and discuss with the people of Kailahun to open the way forward for Sierra Leone’s development agenda. He knows the social-economic and political development of the country depends on not only the people from the north or the western area, but all and sundry. And I therefore would want to commend President Koroma for going to Kailahun; at least, it is better late than never.

And I also now see more reasons why Dr. Sama Banya should also give credence to the government, if for no other reason but the fact that the road project to Kailahun is underway. The last time I went to Koindu by road, the road was seen as a mistake-the roads were bad; but this is not the case at the moment; though not 90% ok, but the roads are relatively good, when compared to how they used to be, thanks to Munda Rogers of SLRA.  When I noticed that there is some level of development now being taken to Kailahun by Ernest Koroma, I asked one of the several Journalists I went with to Koindu for the Customs posts re-commissioning what the then SLPP did to give a facelift to Kailahun, mindful of the fact that the people in Kailahun are always ready to stake their precious lives for the SLPP.

I always would admire the ability and skills of Dr. Sama Banya when responding to issues having to do with the SLPP and particularly over his defense of Kailahun, but may I humbly submit that they left the people of Kailahun in shambles when they were in power and this is unacceptable. I think the SLPP must tender their apologies to the people of Kailahun for ‘dumping’ I hope I am not misconstrued but I am saying this because in all my visits to Kailahun, I have always imagined why the district was never given serious attention to, by the then government.  So, inasmuch as the SLPP is now out of power and are preparing to made a political bounce back say; in 2017, I look forward to reading a response to my piece on why  the SLPP never constructed the road to Kailahun, or if they were the ones who started it, why did they not finish it.

That said, I also think President Koroma now has the Herculean task of actualizing his ‘Agenda for Change’ The fact that he was given a rousing welcome in Kailahun is a pointer that the people of this country are now looking out for one that can perform. And if he is to be re-elected, I think he should go the extra mile in meeting the needs of, especially the people of the south east. I say the southeast because, these are areas believed to be strongholds of the opposition SLPP. If the SLPP were in power today, they were also going to give attention to the north, just as they did when they were in power few years ago.

The APC should forget of getting a 68% support from Kailahun; not under the Ernest Koroma APC leadership, but it can get a substantial percentage that can be used to penetrate into that part of the country.  But all this is possible when the people of Kailahun see themselves as part of the development process of this country. Kailahun is a rich district in terms of agriculture and with President Koroma’s attention now turning to agriculture; this can be one possible ways of penetrating Kailahun. The people of Kailahun want food, they want good water supply, improved roads network and above all, quality education and Ernest Koroma must stand up to these challenges.  When President Koroma would have stood up to these challenges, then one renowned columnist in town shall never write ‘Kailahun to fake Ernest Koroma?’ hahahahahah

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