By Sulaiman Aruna Sesay
Sierra Leone has been grappling with political instability for several years now. The country has been plagued by a series of civil war, uprisings, and coups, which have taken a significant toll on the nation’s development. Recently, there has been a renewed battle for leadership and succession between the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), two of the country’s major political parties. This article aims to provide a critical and constructive analysis of the current political situation in Sierra Leone.
The APC and the SLPP have been engaged in a power struggle since Sierra Leone gained its independence from Britain in 1961. The APC, which ruled the country from 1968 to 1991, was overthrown in a coup by the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC), led by Valentine Strasser. The NPRC was then overthrown by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), which installed Johnny Paul Koroma as its leader.
The SLPP was then elected to power in 1996, but they were overthrown in 1997 by the AFRC. The SLPP was re-elected in 1998 and remained in power until 2007 when the APC, led by Ernest Bai Koroma, won the presidential election.
Since then, there has been a succession battle between the APC and the SLPP. The APC has accused the SLPP of rigging the 2018 presidential elections, which were won by the current President, Julius Maada Bio. The APC has also accused the SLPP of USING the judiciary to suppress opposition voices and consolidate its power.
Quite recently, in the APC Party, after what happened in 2018 presidential elections where we saw Dr. Samura Wilson Kamara emerged as favourite and presidential candidate to lead the All People’s Congress (APC) to the pools. However, things didn’t go well as planned. He was slightly defeated by President Bio. That defeat came with several criticisms and he was faced with challenges to be re-elected as the presidential candidate to lead the party in the June 2023 general elections. Amidst all odds and challenges, he was re-elected and led the APC party to the pool in June 2023 general elections. The hope and aspiration of Dr. Samura Wilson Kamara was shattered yet again. Disappointing! Even though the APC party is yet to accept the fact that the June 2023 elections was fair and credible, there’s been flying rumours that Dr. Samura Wilson Kamara should be replaced with immediate effect.
On the other hand, the current ruling party SLPP led by the President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has been under high tension of who should replace President Bio serving his third term as presidential candidate of the Sierra People’s Party. Many people assuming that this has shifted focus from work as all those aspiring or eyeing the enviable position are government appointed ministers. The First lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone; Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, recently advised those eyeing the position to focus on their and urged them not to get distracted.
The current political situation in Sierra Leone is very fragile, with tensions between the APC and the SLPP running high. The political uncertainty has impacted the country’s economy, with investors showing reluctance to invest in a highly unstable environment.
Although Sierra Leone’s political situation is dire, there are steps that can be taken to address it. Firstly, there needs to be a commitment to dialogue between the APC and the SLPP. Both parties need to come to the table and agree on a way forward that will benefit the citizens of Sierra Leone.
Secondly, there needs to be a commitment to constitutionalism and the rule of law. Both the APC and the SLPP need to respect the country’s laws and institutions, including the judiciary, which is supposed to be independent of political influence.
Thirdly, there needs to be a concerted effort to address the root causes of political instability in Sierra Leone. Corruption, poverty, and ethnic tensions are major driving forces behind the country’s political instability. Addressing these issues will go a long way in reducing the tensions that currently exist between the APC and the SLPP.
In conclusion, Sierra Leone’s political situation is unstable, and the battle for leadership and succession between the APC and the SLPP is not helping matters. However, there are measures that can be taken to address the situation, including dialogue, a commitment to constitutionalism and the rule of law, and addressing the root causes of political instability. The citizens of Sierra Leone deserve a peaceful and stable country, and it is up to the government and political parties to work towards achieving that goal.
