The SLPP’s plan, especially in the Southern Region, is simple; they intend to intimidate the opposition to the extent that they cannot take part in the elections in the Region.
They are burning houses and offices of opposition party members whilst chasing away the APC Executive members to prevent them from deploying polling agents to monitor voting day activities.
That leaves the Southern Region entirely in the hands of the SLPP, with their thugs and vigilantes executing their plans aided by national security personnel. The police and military could have stopped the attacks on APC in Pujehun and Bo, but they stood and watched while SLPP vigilantes executed their plans. In Pujehun, for instance, these vigilantes were at their Ataya Base directly opposite the police station and on the road where the APC Flagbearer was processing to the designated venue to address his supporters on the final APC allowed campaign day in the District.
The SLPP mob shouted Maada Bio, ohhhh, Maada Bio aaaaa while forcing themselves towards Dr Samura Kamara’s vehicle. Fortunately, there was a wall of APC supporters around the car, which led to a commotion. The SLPP vigilantes later attacked the venue where Dr Samura was addressing supporters but were repelled by APC youths while the state security forces looked on as if they didn’t notice a thing.
The same youths mounted roadblocks and barricaded an entire bridge as the APC Leader left Pujehun Town. Stones and other projectiles were thrown at his convoy, but APC youths in Pujehun provided a protective shield for the Samura team as it made a slow exit out of the city.
The vehicle carrying Dr Samura Kamara’s wife, Madam Betty Samura Kamara (who is a native of Pujehun), was also ambushed as she was returning from her village to join the convoy back to Freetown. The APC Presidential Candidate had to wait for his wife, who was a couple of miles heading towards the direction of her husband’s convoy. SLPP Youths were, however, unrelenting as they continued their unprovoked attacks, sometimes gorilla style, from thick bushes.
Interestingly, one of the security officers told me they couldn’t do anything to repel the SLPP youths with teargas because “We are not ordered to fire teargas or a gun.” Dr Samura’s wife luckily escaped and joined the convoy but with a broken side glass on her vehicle.
Meanwhile, all APC executive members have fled Pujehun town while their properties are destroyed. All these are happening less than a week to the general elections.
The APC office in Bo City was gutted yesterday by the same vigilantes in the presence of state security. The Bo District Women’s Leader, also a candidate for Member of Parliament Madam Cicilia Ngobeh, was in the house with her family when it was lit, and she narrowly escaped.
As it stands, a free, fair and credible election is a far-fetched reality in the Southern Region. The region now appears completely out of bounds to all APC supporters and executives from the ward to the Regional level. Party members who should represent their party in the elections are being identified, beaten, chased and molested by the ruling party youths. All these human rights abuses seem like a grand plan set to lock the South for the ruling SLPP.
Sylvester Suaray
Deputy Regional Chairman, South
