Tongie Town, Gorama Mende Chiefdom, Kenema District 12 February 2025- Amb. Tamba Lamina, the Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs has suspended PC Haja Mariama Gassama Kanja IV of Gorama Mende Chiefdom with immediate effect and appointed Chief Wahid Kallon as the caretaker Paramount Chief until the Ministry investigates the conduct of the suspended PC.
It’s to be noted that on Saturday 8th February 2025, a group of irate individuals went on the rampage at Tongie Town where they burnt down two houses, more than 5 motorbikes, the wonde Secret Society’s Bush, and injured a lot of people. An incident of this nature occurred again in the same Chiefdom a few months ago as a result of a conflict that erupted between the members of the Wonde Secret Society and the Chiefdom Stakeholders. This led to the visit of a Government delegation led by the Local Government Minister to the Chiefdom where they vehemently condemned the action and entreated the Chiefdom stakeholders to be tolerant by allowing other cultural practices, as long as they are performed within the framework of the law.
In his address before pronouncing the suspension of the said Chief, Minister Lamina said the Government has done enough for the Gorama Mende Chiefdom to be peaceful. He said when the whole issue started, the Resident Minister of the Eastern Region went to the Region to engage the two parties but due to the tension that he saw on the ground, he invited them to the Local Government Ministry in Freetown where two important meetings were held both on the 24th and 25th October 2024 respectively.
He continued that in the first meeting, PC Haja M.G. Kanja requested the Ministry to set her Chiefdom Speaker aside as she was no longer comfortable with his service and the Ministry granted her request by suspending the Speaker. He said during the meeting the Ministry found out that Gorama Mende is the only Chiefdom amongst the 190 Chiefdoms where people hide in religious practice to create instability in the Chiefdom. He furthered that even when a handful of Government Minister went to the Chiefdom following the two meetings, the same people were all over the place sending threatening remarks against them, adding that it was at that time that they urged the Paramount Chief to provide leadership in her Chiefdom by admonishing the Chiefdom committee to allow the wonde people to carry on with their society and to also explain to her people about the 1991 Constitution that guarantees the right of people to belong to associations of their choice.
He further disclosed that the Ministry has concluded that there is a leadership gap in the Chiefdom because the relationship between the Chiefdom Authorities is not genuine and progressive and that as a Government that is responsible for the peace of the country, it will not allow such atmosphere to exist in the Chiefdom. He expressed frustration with what the team saw on their arrival at Tongie Town where children were inside their houses in fear during school hours, women looking through their windows in panic, scenes of burnt houses, and motorbikes, amongst others.
“The Ministry made a lot of recommendations to President Bio about the issues in this Chiefdom. One of the recommendations that the President approved is that from today, PC Haja Mariama Gassama IV is suspended from her position as the Paramount Chief of this Chiefdom until further notice,” he announced.
He added that the Ministry has appointed Chief Wahid Kallon as caretaker chief of the Chiefdom until further notice. He encouraged the residents of the Chiefdom to work with the new chief and fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation to bring those who did the destruction to book. He sympathized with those who lost their property and the ones who were injured.
The Head of the Office of National Security, the Inspector General of Police, and the Chief of Army Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Arm Forces condemned the riotous conduct and promised to bring anyone who was involved in the said act to book irrespective of their status and location. They promised to establish a permanent Police station, Military presence, and Coordinator of the Office of National Security in the Gorama Mende Chiefdom with immediate effect.
The Director of Local Government, the Provincial Secretary of the Eastern Region, and the Kenema Senior District Officer were all present at the engagement where the pronouncements were made.
For more details:
Frederick V. Kanneh
Information Officer
MLGCA
