More dark days in Kono – Part II
In my first installment, I treated three areas of concern, namely, the discovery of diamonds in Kono from the 1930s with little or no benefit to the district; the changes that occurred periodically motivated by political drive from the Sierra Leone Selection Trust to the National Diamond Mining Company, Branch Energy, Koidu Holdings and now Octea Mining and how Kono has never benefited from the wealth accrued from these mining exercises; and the politics of selective justice and abuse of human rights during petty elections like of the recent Youth Coalition in Koidu town where youths were influenced by affluence through intimidation and coercion by certain personalities.
In this edition I want to start with a question open to the public for their input.
The question is, when two or more personalities of the same class or of different classes at a given point in time clash over issues of public interest what happens to the underlings, by that I mean the common man?
For my part I am of the strongest belief that in such a situation, there will be variations either in positive or negative order. The matter of time is as important as the variation with respect to the consequences that will emanate from such clashes.
To be specific that was what happened in Kono during the Youth Coalition elections in a specific period but unfortunately some of the Kono authorities grossly interfered with the said elections.
One of those who has been named as having been one of the key players in the ugly interference is the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Mr. Balogoun Koroma, who is alleged to have taken along a hundred thousand Dollars to prevail on the peaceful youths to choose candidates outside their interest or choice.
The other personalities reported to have been involved in this sad episode are Dr. George Komba Kono, former Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Mr. Alimamy Kamara, who is reported to have invited Police reinforcement from Kenema and Makeni, thinking that he was not safe and some Paramount Chiefs championed by Paramount Chief Paul Garba Saquee of Tankoro Chiefdom.
Please note that these are very important characters in the political arena of Kono since the All Peoples Congress (APC) came to power in 2007.
But guess what? When people of the same class lock horns on issues of vital importance like there is the likelihood for seeds of discord to be sown. And that is what has happened in Kono district.
From the readings on the wall we have learnt that the whole scenario was intended to stifle and maybe prevent Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana from succeeding President Ernest Bai Koroma.
Are we not brewing more dark days in Kono?
It happened in the early days of democratic politics in Kono, between Tamba Songu Mbriwa of the Kono Progressive Movement [KPM] who formed an alliance with the APC in the 1960s and Rev. Paul Dumber of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP). These two Kono political giants were opposed to each other on ideological differences.
Now the question is why should Balogun Koroma and Dr. George Komba Kono and little Paramount Chief Paul Garba Saquee gang against Vice President Sam-Sumana for the Presidency in this country?
Because of their undue intervention in the Youth Coalition politics in Kono they have created acrimony and instability among the youth population in the district. How someone like Dr. George Komba Kono can buy the fruitless attempts of Balogoun Koroma to unseat Vice President Sam-Sumana is something I cannot fathom even in my wildest dreams.
Like I have said, when two or more personalities of the same class clash over issues of either district, regional or national interests, there will be a law of diminishing returns at the end of the day. If Vice President Sam-Sumana succeeds President Koroma, it will indeed be diminishing returns for Balogoun Koroma, Dr. George Komba Kono and their cohorts.
If he fails because of their political house built to undo the young man, Vice President Sam-Sumana then will become the diminishing return for Kono.
Are these not more dark days for the Kono people?
Of course recently, Mr. Balogoun Koroma influenced the detention of Tam Mbayo which raised a lot of dust among the youth population in Kono district. Also the arrest and detention of Theophilus Gbenda of Culture Radio is said to have been orchestrated by Vice President Sam- Sumana.
It is a shame for Konos to be at each others’ throat. These are unfavorable developments for a minority ethnic group for a country that is so tribalistic.
If you ask me I would say that Kono District is set for more dark days.
Felix Dauda Fofoh
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