Persistent ruling Sierra People’s Party (SLPP) operatives’ harassments and intimidation of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party members and supporters across the country has last Friday 10 March 2023 been received with strong reactions of condemnations by the people of Kailahun district.
That the SLPP Kailahun District Chairman Sahr Ahmed Lamin violent behaviour to their guest of honour for the opening of the Grand Mosque of Kailahun, Hon Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah did not go down well with them. And they therefore completely condemned government and SLPP party’s continuous intimidation of the opposition APC politicians. Intimidations they consider as serious threats to the country’s civil and political freedom describing coercions of political opponents as not good for peace, stability the safety of the masses.
They have thus urged the leadership of the SLPP, President Julius Maada Bio and his government to first and foremost condemn all acts of violence and intimidations of opposition politicians and their followers, and put a stop to political it for not only the APC but all opposition politicians and their supporters.
Since February 22 alleged attacks and intimidation of the APC National Secretary General, Lansana Dumbuya Esq and his followers, reportedly by presidential security guards, on the instructions of the president of the country, there has so far been no condemnation from the leadership of the SLPP and President Bio.
The SLPP leadership in the person of the President must therefore be bold enough to condemn all acts of political intimidation and violence being perpetuated against opposition politicians especially APC members.
It is against the backdrop of the failed attempt to prevent Hon Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah from entering Kailahun the governing SLPP continues to receive strong and negative public reactions against, that Chairman Sahr Ahmed Lamin should tender a public apology to the APC Parliamentary Leader. Condemnations of the SLPP Kailahun Chair’s act of blocking his colleague keep showring in from everywhere with trending condemnations. Concerns are also being raised by women and youth over last Friday 10 March 2023 unfortunate incident. Also highly concerned with the situation is the Muslim community and other grassroots citizens of the district against the conduct of the ruling SLPP Chairman Sahr Ahmed Lamin, who wrongly stopped the opposition APC member’s motorcade in trying to prevent him from entering Kailahun, on orders from above. Chairman Lamin’s conduct has been widely described as intolerant, undemocratic and unfortunate for the country’s shaky peace.
Circumstantially, several videos shared viral on social media show the SLPP Kailahun District Chairman Lamin’s white Toyota land cruiser jeep parked across the road leading to Kailahun in bid to stop the APC Parliamentary Leader from entering the town.
Eyewitness accounts are that with the reactions from youth, women and other members of the community including Kailahun Islamic leaders, on whose invite the APC political heavyweight was in the district, the roadblocks were later removed and Hon Bah and his entourage made a triumphantly entering for the opening of the Grand Mosque of Kailahun.
Political bullying by the SLPP under the watch of Bio is certainly not the ultimate answer to winning the June 24 presidential polls, the peace of the nation must therefore be kept intact, which is why Sierra Leoneans the world over, have outrightly condemned the violent act of the SLPP Kailahun district Chairman Lamin.
It unacceptable in its entirety and must nipped in the bud now before elections campaign schedule is out. Besides, no single political party owe any geopolitical community in Sierra Leone. The country belongs to all citizens and friends of Sierra Leone, irrespective of one’s political and socioeconomic advantages and demerits.
Hence all should be fully respected, put aside indifferences and uphold national commonalities which bind all Sierra Leoneans as society and people in the best interests of unity, tolerant, diversity and fairness in the body politics of the country.
In as much as SLPP goes wherever it want in the north and in the western regions without any disturbance, the APC should be equally allowed to cut across the board with their political ideologies to the people of the south and eastern regions. Sierra Leoneans in the south and east also deserve rights to access to the APC political information, ideologies and campaign messages. They do not deserve to be deprive of such democratic opportunities because of the misleading campaigns being carried out by the SLPP that, the APC is a northerner party. No! that is not true and no one region owns a political monopoly but the country. Violence in the electioneering process must be discouraged to allow all players to put their messages across for the benefits of the people whose mandates all political parties are busy seeking now to secure jobs for another five years.
There was no need for the SLPP Kailahun district Chairman Lamin to block the APC heavyweight, tried and failed at stopping him from entering the town, knowing fully well that the senior opposition politician was in the district on the invite of Kailahun Muslim community, for the opening of their Grand Majid.
Hon. Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah commonly known as Chericoco is a highly respected Sierra Leonean politician. And was not in Kailahun on a political campaign, but to serve as the guest of the Muslims for the opening of Kailahun musjid, which warranted no disturbance from the SLPP, nor any form of intimidations of such nature from Chairman Lamin.
Recent among APC members and supporters who were brought under severe intimidations after the party’s National Delegates’ Conference in Makeni, are National Secretary General. The government and other state security institutions including the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and the Sierra Leone Police, whose personnel are being accused of the alleged intimidation of vulnerable civilians.
However, for the kindest and urgent attentions of world leaders and the international community that the approaching June 24 election appears to be much characterized with constant state sponsored violence, intimidations and highhandedness of security forces.
FORUM waits to hear reactions and condemnations of violence intimidations of opposition politicians especially APC members and their followers from the SLPP leadership of Bio. May common sense prevail.
