Maada Bio’s Harangues
By Julius Gbenya – It is with total dismay that one has to immediately respond to the defunct Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 2012 presidential candidate, Julius Maada Bio’s open letter’ addressed to President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, in which he highlighted series of concerns simultaneously inciting peaceful citizens against the hardworking government.
While moving towards political tolerance by bringing leaders and chairmen of political parties together to close ranks, for national unity, peace and for the overall development of the country by this hardworking president, the desperate and power thirsty former SLPP presidential contender could not hold his poor peace, but doggedly determined to make unnecessary claims about alleged government’s interference with the constitutional review process, which government has nothing to do with, except to provide the committee with required support to carry out the process professionally.
There is absolutely no government interference with the constitutional review process and government is prepared and ready to accept and implement whatever recommendations that will be made by the committee, as long as they are in the interest of the country and the people. So, Bio’s incitement of members of the committee that their recommendations will be left on government shelves to accumulate dust is not in the national interest and should be seen making responsible statements regarding the process rather than continuing to pull down government’s reformation strides.
That the amendment of Section 79 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra of Leone was highly influenced in parliament, is not true at all and as somebody aspiring to become president of this our beloved country Bio should be honest to himself and his followers, as there is no intention by the Koroma administration to undermine democracy in Sierra Leone.
By every indication with respect to the general outlook of the country, the leadership of President Koroma continues to raise the democratic profile of Sierra Leone to the admiration of the international community by improving on the country’s human rights situation and made great strides in promoting many other democratic values.
As a democrat himself, President Koroma is no stranger to parliamentary proceedings and has no influence over what takes place in the house, as parliamentarians have rights to their views and opinions on emerging national issues such as the election of a new speaker, which was done democratically and peacefully.
Another thing one would hardly let go is the cheap propaganda tactics mounted by Bio and his SLPP operatives, claiming that President Koroma is flouncing the Constitutional Review Committee so as to amend the constitution to make room for a third term and prolong his stay in office. This is not the aim of the president as he does not believe in such politics. And what all should have in mind including detractor Bio, is that President Koroma is not ambitious to prolong his stay in power not to talk of preparing for a third term, even though he continues to be popular among the Sierra Leonean populace.
To the purported suffering of the people, it is abundantly clear that no Sierra Leonean has died because of Bio’s imaginary ‘suffering’ as government has and is still trying hard to reduce poverty by raising farming standards with the necessary implements and providing mechanical services to farmers all over the country regardless of political affiliations. This has in fact motivated farmers to the point that Sierra Leone now produces its own staple food rice and palm oil. Bio needs to be well informed on national issues and daily happenings, especially at governance level so that he can stop misleading his followers, as it will never be business as usual when the SLPP subjected the people to abject poverty, amidst pouring of donor funds. So for this government, poverty is being fought on all fronts as we move towards a middle income status.
Much as there is the drive to clamp down on indiscipline and lawlessness in the country, the Koroma administration has also raised the bar to address the problem of disregard by certain group of people for law and order, and to back words with actions, the Head of State has long declared that there is no way indiscipline and lawlessness can be tolerated as you rendered Sierra Leoneans with disrespectfulness during your eleven years of poverty, corruption and misrule. The only thing Bio and his by all means ‘pao-pao’ SLPP is known for.
Comparatively, more gains have been recorded even by the international community whereas in the days of SLPP’s eleven years of bad governance and misrule, you mismanaged state and natural resources to the lowest ebb that the international community pulled out of Sierra Leone, simply because the then government of former president Ahmed Tejan Kabba(h) could hardly transform donors’ efforts into sustainable development programmes. Instead, you lavished all our resources on concubines and air tickets, flying all over throughout your stay in office. What is there to be showcased by the SLPP?
Shame on you and your failed operatives for deceiving us as a nation, as we fervently pray that God continue to punish SLPP in opposition.
The baseless point about lack of separation of powers in the Koroma administration is one vague perception that will hardly buy well meaning Sierra Leoneans except you enemies of progress like the author of the ‘open letter’ to President Koroma. Separation of powers in the current government cuts across and there is no wrongful interference by the Office of the President in the administration of ministries, department and agencies let alone the judiciary and legislature. And as a matter of fact, heads of all government institutions are free enough to execute their duties as stipulated by the laws of the country, and it is very much untrue that government is holding onto certain powers of MDAs and there is no semblance of separation of powers under the leadership of President Koroma.
To the independence of the judiciary and alleged government interference in the rulings on electoral malpractices is that far away from what is expected of Bio and his failed and disgruntled operatives. The judiciary was given all the free hand to look into matters of electoral offences that occurred during the November 2012 elections, irrespective of political party affiliations and came out with rulings on both candidates who were directly involved in the said cases, and at the end, those who were qualified enough to as by law established won the disputable seats in constituencies 015 Kenema, and 05 Kailahun respectively. The eligible candidates were not just given the seats like that because they are members of the ruling party, but went into legitimate contests with their opponents in their various constituencies as it has always been.
Lastly, we may not want to comment on this issue of freedom. For us it is irrelevant and exhausted as the government has created room for the exercise of freedoms of everybody in the country regardless of political background. If not only with the intention trying to undermine government’s efforts by inciting the populace, then it’s worthy to note that Bio has no reason to be telling the world that there is no freedom in Sierra Leone. But you should be aware of the fact that the people are so free to say and write whatever they want, and sad to tell you that you are out of touch with happenings in your own country. More importantly, we entreat you that no amount of any of your cheap propaganda against government and incitements of Sierra Leoneans will undermine the tireless efforts of the Koroma administration.
