An Open Letter to H.E. President Julius Maada Bio
Dear Sir,
POLITICAL INTIMIDATION AND SECURITY THREAT
I write in the name of democracy, craving your indulgence to permit the spirit of tolerance in the June 24, 2023, elections.
Elections are all about the deciding faith of the state by the electorate, through whom the executive, legislative and the judicial arms of government are gracefully elected and selected respectively to run the affairs of the state.
Sir, two months from now, Sierra Leone will face the polls to elect officials of government to run the State. With the present political development, the nation is terrified on whether free and fair elections will be conducted considering your currently handlings of the situation. State sponsored political intimidations of the main opposition political parties including the All People’s Congress being executed by security forces has subjected the nation to continuous fears. In the wake of these, the power of the country’s democracy is completely usurped by the regime security personnel.
H.E. Sir, assessing the political atmosphere it is obviously clear that the situation is misty with political prejudice and intimidation opposition politicians.
Sir, in the present political inclination, nobody seems or dares to halt your political campaign; you are free to exhibit your political liberty at will everywhere in the country. The same expectation will equally be best for the opposition in nourishing their political campaigns ahead of June polls. It is a scandalous on your government for the opposition APC leader and presidential candidate, Dr. Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara to be always subjected to constant political harassments from the state, perpetuated by the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces RSLAF and the Sierra Leone Police. recent of such undemocratic security detail conducts was Sunday’s assassination attempt at the life of the APC leader and president candidate at Mile 38, whiles on his way returning home from the United States of America.
Sir, whatever the situation Dr. Samura Kamara is a stateman and a very senior Sierra Leonean who deserves to be respected, honour by his followers and admirers and at this time of the nation’s political accomplishments, wherein democracy is put to a test.
Sir, with all due respect, the world is watching Sierra Leone with high expectations. It is exactly to sixty-two years (62) years when Sierra Leone was released from the chains of colonialism and established as self-governance, maintaining the Rule of Law and the true spirit of democracy. It has been the fervent hope that Sierra Leoneans will continue to live at peace with each other, strive collectively for the betterment of their beloved nation.
For eleven years, Sierra Leone fought a senseless civil war that terminated the lives of our brothers and our dear sisters and including the lives of our development partners. Destroyed property worth billions of Leones. Every effort, internally and externally were made to end the war. Evidence of the colossal destructions of the war to lives and property are still living with us as remembrance of the barbaric devastations and indecent act of civilization. With this evidence seen, it reminded all Sierra Leoneans and the world over the destructive repercussions of war. With these in mind, it is better to live in peace than to go to war with your fellow men.
Democracy has been the answer to our political struggle and the world continues to look at Sierra Leone, studies its political maturity to conclude the level of our democracy.
Peacefully, Dr. Samura Kamara returned from the US after completed the judicial procedures of the High Court of Sierra Leone in the case surrounding the Chancery building. His compatriots decided to give him a heroic welcome as the standard bearer of the APC party. The expectation of the welcome was not built on the underpinning of confrontation with the police or the military. To the greatest dismay, an alleged assassination was attempted on the life of Dr. Samura Kamara along the Mile 38 checkpoint by RSLAF and the Police military officers attached or assigned to that direction. For God’s sake, why should this happen to a political opponent? With this tendency of development, it is difficult to comprehend on whether Dr. Samura Kamara would be allowed to campaign in the South and East of the country purported to be the stronghold of the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP).
Similar attack was done on Hon. Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah on his way to Koindu to witness the opening of the Grand Mosque. He was blocked by the SLPP Regional Chairman. But with emotional and collective persuasion of the youth and elders of the Koindu community, the Chairman was left with no substitute but to disgracefully allow Hon. Chernor Bah to pass through. This again Mr. President is a show of political defiant of your party’s chairman. To that nobody took responsibility to question the authority of the said chairman. This is unfair if allowed to go unchecked.
Sir, with the development of these political mishaps, one is left with no alternative but to consider that political insecurity for the coming elections is impending.
Sir, the nation and the world are watching your political resolutions to the insurgence of the absurd political development. Multiparty democracy is built on the basis of free movement with no political or military intimidation.
Sir, we have seen your wife Fatima Bio in Tonkolili district, openly denouncing and criticizing the APC National Delegates’ Convention as marginalization of the Tonkolili. She was fully protected and received no intimidation from either the police, nor the military or civilians. Time without number Fatima Bio has been attacking the APC with impunity but accepted as part of democratic provocation.
Sir, looking forward to a positive change in the concept and perception of the coming elections, free from political intimidation and security threat, please accept the regard of my highest sentiment.
I remain,
Yours faithfully,
Maada Kapindi M’boma.
