By Joseph S. Margai, Strategic Communications Coordinator
Mayor of Koidu New Sembehun City Council, Komba Matthew Sam, of the opposition, Coalition for Change (C4C) political party, has on Wednesday, 1st March, 2023, defected to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), citing President Bio’s national development strategy as a motivating factor.
Koidu New Sembehun City Council which is situated in Kono district, Eastern Sierra Leone, was the stronghold of the C4C political party, which was formed few months ahead of the 2018 multitier elections. Its former leader and 2018 presidential candidate was the then Vice President of Sierra Leone, Chief Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana, who was disgracefully ousted out of office and the All People’s Congress (APC) political party by his former boss who was the then president of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. Out of frustration and anger, he formed the C4C political party and reclaimed all the mayoral, councilor, and parliamentary seats that were once held by his former political party-the APC.
“I am the first sitting mayor of an opposition political party that has defected to a governing party in the history of Sierra Leone. During my days as an opposition mayor, I did not experience any lack. The SLPP-government of President Julius Maada Bio supported me to develop Koidu city. I was motivated to leave my own political party because of the national development strategy of President Bio,” he said.
He cited that four mayors came before him since 2004 but were only able to construct 60 culverts, noting that in just five years of his reign as a mayor, he was able to construct 89 culverts and bridges within the municipality of Koidu city.
“I was able to construct the city clock tower, provided a dumpsite for waste management, and facilitated the advent of three brand new school buses for our school going children in this municipality. Koidu city now enjoys a 24-hour electricity supply. These, among many other development initiatives, were sponsored by President Julius Maada Bio’s SLPP-led government,” he disclosed.
He told his audience that he was not talking to mislead them but to lead them to the right direction, adding that he did not leave the C4C political party alone but defected together with former C4C councilors of both Koidu New Sembehun City and Kono District Councils respectively.
“I also have the C4C executive and ordinary members who are defecting with me to the right direction, which is the SLPP. This decision was not made for selfsh gains but for the furtherance of development in Kono district as a whole,” he told his audience.
Besides the C4C members who defected to the SLPP, hundreds of members of the main opposition-APC political party-also defected.
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, who is also a native of Kono district, said her district was now united with one purpose of re-electing President Bio for his second term.
“This mass defection from opposition political parties to the governing SLPP is an indication that President Bio’s government has improve the living standard of the people of Kono district. Kono district now has what it has been deprived of by past governments. In his last five years, President Bio has visited Kono more than any other district,” she said.
While welcoming them, President Bio who also doubles as the leader of the SLPP, said to develop the country, the people should be together, assuring them that they have come to a political party that cares.
The SLPP membership cards were issued to them and they officially shook hands with President Bio.
Afterwards, jubilation rented the air.
