The need for serious political tolerance

We are moving, getting closer to 2012 which shall be another important year in the political history of Sierra Leone, mindful of the fact that we shall be conducting the country’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections, all things being equal. And in the process of conducting peaceful elections, there should always be a display of political maturity and political tolerance.  These key factors sometimes appear to be lacking in the Sierra Leone body politics.

The 2007 elections went off well with little or no political skirmishes and that was encouraging. But signs pointing to what awaits 2012 are just not good for the development of this country; a case in point being the recent political disturbances in Tongo Fields following the conduct of a bye-election for a local council representation. Mark you, the elections were conducted for the local council and not for parliamentary seat. Practically if what we read or heard on news actually happened in Tongo Fields for a local seat, what shall we expected for a parliamentary seat?

Most of the papers that reported on the incident almost agreed that there was trouble, chaos and political violence in Tongo Filed. The Satellite newspaper carried a front page headline yesterday titled ’APC/SLPP Clash in Tongo’ stating that there were serious riots in Tongo Fields.  The Torchlight, in its yesterday edition reported on how the ruling party was ‘Thrashed in Tongo’ The Spectator referred to the incident in Tongo as ‘Bloody’. The ‘We Yone’ went as far as naming names as being responsible for that political   disturbance in Tongo Fields. Anyway, just few issues I want to pick up with the country’s political class, cutting across the ruling APC and the main opposition SLPP.  One of such issues has to do with the seeming lack of political tolerance among out political parties.

I remember writing recently that there are key functions to be played by both the SLPP and APC. That, insofar as the political arrangement of the country could go, the APC at the moment are in governance and as such this should be recognized by all and sundry; also  I challenged that being in opposition should also not be interpreted to mean, one will never have the chance of coming to power;  that  governance is a ‘game that teaches perseverance and patience’ By that I am implying that both the ruling and opposition parties have a stake in the development process of the country and as such they must be seen working toward taking Sierra Leone to the apex of development.  The fact that the APC are in power today, when few months back they were in opposition should indicate that, the SLPP may one day come to power.

Therefore, both parties should see the need to work assiduously as people with the same vision and agenda but having different ways of fulfilling their dreams. It is unacceptable that we are hearing of political violence, especially in the conduct of elections, be they Parliamentary, local or Presidential.  A winner should also be ready to accommodate the loser and the loser should be in a position to accept that indeed he or she has been democratically sacked by the people.

It is high time the people of this country are treated with the seriousness they deserve. What has happened in Tongo Fields should not be allowed to continue and should be condemned in no uncertain terms by our political leaders.   We are getting to 2012 and we may not want to get into an election year that is set for trouble and political attacks.

But all of this surrounds around the need for stronger political tolerance and which should start from our political parties, their executives, down to their party supporters.  To this end, when once the party leaders demonstrate that they can tolerate others, then even the least supporter will have no alternative but to go the way his leader has taken. I was in Kenema few days back where I saw the level of political sycophancy and absurdity that was displayed by a supporter of the ruling party, when I and few journalists went to make booking at the Guest House built by the council.  I don’t know his name but a friend of mine, M. Massaqui at Concord Times knows him very well. I was flabbergasted at his utterances and so I challenged the person in question that he was not representing his party well. All the parties have this challenge though, and they must try to overcome that.

Rocío Alejandra in 1999 said, when once the word political tolerance comes up, ‘words like patience, respect, equality, differences, will, knowledge, education, and culture come to my mind. I think that they are all in the concept Tolerance; they are all indispensable’ 
Rocío Alejandra said again that sometimes, people believe that their ideas, customs, behaviors and education are correct and think that all the other people must be equal to them. Sometimes, people even believe that they are right and most often fail to learn ‘yet to respect the differences between the humans’. This is a major problem from within the political circles that should be handled seriously. One can display political supremacy but not at the expense of political tolerance. A country that does not create room for tolerance is bound not to move in the direction of socio-economic development. And for obvious reasons; Sierra Leone may not want to go that path. 

Let us begin to determine the path we should take as we are getting closer to 2012. 2007 came and went off with no major political disturbance and we look forward to see the same in 2012.  But this can only happen when we are, as a people are politically tolerant.   What has happened in Tongo is a sign of more things to come and our political leaders should get to the drawing table for as proactive action prior to 2012.  Did I hear them say, Pa Baimba you are right?

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