The inexperience in political administration of the Chief Minister is embarrassing President Bio and the SLPP
The three major blunders by the new SLPP government have all originated from the ‘new kid on the block’ in politics. First, he was mentioned in the monumental gaffe to suspend the Finance Acts, next the attempt to deny former President Koroma of the use of the Presidential Lodge and now, the arrest of the former State House Communications Manager, Mr. Jarrah Kawusu Konte.
David Francis (in photo) may have a doctoral degree in peace and conflict studies, lectured at Bradford University and allegedly helped his student (Bio) with his thesis, but that is all. His appointment as Chief Minister in the Bio led government is as controversial as it is inappropriate. Despite the fact that David’s appointment has no basis in the Sierra Leone constitution and tends to undercut the role of the Vice President, he has had no experience in any organisation not to talk about any political office whatsoever. As lecturer, David Francis has spent all his adult life dealing only with faculty students and a few colleagues in peace and conflict studies programmes.
Giving the huge task of a Chief Minister in this Bio led SLPP government, David’s appointment is like taking a fish from water; the man is completely disorientated and has been stumbling from one major blunder to the other.
Following the embarrassment over the suspension of the Finance Acts and the scapegoatisation of the government’s first Secretary to the President, the inexperienced Chief Minister has again embarrassed the SLPP government through the attempted arrest of Mr. Jarrah Kawusu Konte. Jarrah’s offence is allegedly for sharing the memo (which was already on social media) instructing the Financial Secretary to suspend the Finance Acts. When the news of Jarrah’s arrest first broke out, the government was so embarrassed that it’s immature Press Secretary, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi, denied any attempt to arrest the former State House Communications Manager. But few days later, on Monday 4th June, 2018, Jarrah was invited and interrogated at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the allegation of ‘economic sabotage’! According to sources at the CID, his sharing of the said memo forced the government to backtrack on the implementation of the infamous and illegal suspension of the Finance Acts thereby causing the SLPP to lose millions of dollars!
A further disturbing development is that while Jarrah Kuwusu Konte was being interrogated, the Chief Minister invited the head of CID to State House to inluence detention of Mr. Konte. This action alone has raised questions about the Chief Minister’s interest in an issue for which the former Secretary to the President had apologised to the nation and for which he has been sacked. The Chief Minister’s involvement is also widely regarded as a sign of intolerance to criticism and an attempt to intimidate perceived political opponents. This latest State House orchestrated arrest of an opposition member clearly adds to the catalogue of abuses which highlight this government’s dictatorial tendencies.
Jarrah was released on bail with orders for him to report 5th June, 2018 at 9am.
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