Elections have never been expected to be a do or die exercise. It is the courage to accept the good and neglect the ugly. The lies and the truth take the centre stage in the electioneering process. The bitterness of the lie of politicians ignite reactions from their supporters and non-followers of either sides of the political divide, always erupt into physical and verbal confrontations. And the control to stabilize whichever tense situations depend on the temperaments and determination of the people who are seeking exactly what they want in the democratic space and certain political ideologies.
Sierra Leone Politics being an engagement of characters, opinions and submission of truths and lies, the people must therefore beware of what they are doing in the very exercise of their democratic rights not to make the wrong judgements in their democratic decisions making in the areas of choice of leadership and the contention of tolerant. As everybody is gravitating towards the June polls, the electorates are expected to judge and make their assent to the ballot box for interpretation of their determination in making meaningful change in their lives and their generations to come as well as the for the general good. And now is the time for sound judgements on the growth and development of the national economy, especially when cost of living and economic challenges are some of the most critical issues dominated regular topics of public discussions relating to the June elections. The engagement of the country’s social actors in relation to their political undertakings must be very serious and more business minded enough to liberate the masses from the economic misery they are currently faced with.
Supposedly, elections give assessment for continuity or discontinuity of stewardship provided duty bearers such as the president of a given country like work as vowed. With that being the situation where in there are hue and cry everywhere that the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party didn’t do well in the last five years of Julius Maada Bio as a president should take exit, then he must leave come June 24. There is no two ways about it as failure is not an option. And the people are tired and fed up with lies and empty excuses with blame shafting. That itself has nothing to do with tolerant for failure of a government to deliver directly affect the people and the country as a whole. And political tolerant should not come at the detriment of the masses, but for mutual benefits.
Gradually, emotions tend to defeat the purpose of June elections. And joining hands does not mean one should ignore his/her political goal but to embrace and put behind indifferences with tendencies of igniting tensions especially on polling day. So tolerant with jokes and shared sentiment and commitments towards the sustenance peace, security, credible, transparent, free and fair electioneering process must start now as the country is fast approaching the election. Voting for loved ones and choice of candidates is primarily acclaimed than political ideology and national interest. No matter the capacity of a particular certain people will vote them because of sentiment and tolerant towards them, they don’t mind how much he can deliver on the job. As long as their choice of candidate has been elected into public office is their concerns. That should not the kind of tolerant this piece is talking about. It all about voting into office the right man in the right place, which is to say even if the candidate is your blood relative if he/she is not competent, don’t entrust your future in his/her hands. Tell them point blank that they are not fit for purpose. And make the right choice for the benefit of the entire country.
Time should be apportioned to critically examine political ideologies in terms of re-accessing campaign manifestoes, equate them to political realities of the state. One cannot expect a politician to say, he/she will construct a bridge where there is no river. Your proper assessment of the politician in terms of his manifesto is paramount. Politics leadership seats are not meant for jokers and other artists of deception. Elections expose the morality of the individual on the spectacle of honesty, sincerity and dedication.
Information is power to distinguish reality from falsehood. The people need to access information about the June elections the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone and their political aspirants to make their well-informed judgements more so on their choice of leadership they want this time around. This is difficult to achieve, in the dominance of uninformed population amidst limited outreach to the electorate. Again, the hustling to make ends meet cannot permit even some of the literates to access the vital information for onward transmission and interpretation. Politics is not a religion but a social engagement of the voting population to choose leadership to man the affairs of the state. Its vitality ends at the ballot box.
Political education is a required tool for community empowerment. When the population is not politically empowered, they are left at the mercy of deceitful, wicked and crook politicians wherein tolerant or not they must play their tricks to the ignorance and sentimentalism of the gullible masses. Hence all eligible voters must think positively about the value of their votes.
Tribalism and regionalism seem to take precedent in the political atmosphere of our country, Sierra Leone, more so under the five years rule of the SLPP and Bio. Tribe, region should have no place in the body politics of Sierra Leone. Therefore, political parties should disengage from tribal and regional sentiments which are recipe for violence and divisive politics. Tribalism and regionalism are ways to necessitate political divide. That too must be discouraged to sanitize the country’s politics going forward.
Sierra Leone is for all Sierra Leoneans; we must not allow politics to divide us. The more reasons we should embrace one another. We elect government to take charge of political activities in the fortitude of good governance, though much is not realized from that. Every Sierra Leonean is equally affected when the government cannot deliver. There is no separate market for any political party. What affects supporters and followers of political A can also affect supporters another party, which is share sufferings that affect all and sundry. It is our right and responsibility to make our government more accountable, assessable, and responsible. The right to criticize them is our responsibility, and to spur them to deliver the required expectation. No to any political aggression!
The general election is here with the conviction that much political patience is revealed in the political atmosphere that would be created. No time for hooliganism and vandalism but productive criticism. It is the expectation that equal opportunity will be given to all political parties in the dispensation of their political beliefs. Cursing and harassing political opponents is uncalled for, good political marketing should be encouraged.
Political stability is ensured, when peace and serenity is seen in the conduct of the political pool. It is time to put on the armour of peace to achieve our political aspiration. Let us all try to grow our democracy in the spirit of tolerance!
