By: Ambrose K Sandy
A video clip of a recently elected SLPP Member of Parliament under the Kenema Proportional Representation Quota Hon. Mohamed Koroma – specifically covering the Mondema Chiefdom – should serve as of serious concern to “ALL” Sierra Leoneans.
Observe my capitalized emphasis on the descriptive adjective of the word *”all”*. This is because though Kenema District within the dead East, like other Southern areas of the country is mainly perceived an SLPP stronghold, yet there are thousands of citizens who, in exercise of their democratic franchises are purely or die-heartedly of the opposition APC persuasions, irrespective of consequences.
These are the target groups the SLPP MP was referring to when in addressing key local authorities as per the video to wit: Section Chiefs under references, he unequivocally warned them that and quoting him *”If he hears of any APC Party activities within the Mondema Chiefdom Section in particular, or within the entire Kenema District, he would use his authority as a Member of Parliament to get the persons or groups of persons arrested and detained”*.
The MP further claimed in that said video that, quoting him again: “I have the Parliamentary Mandate to invoke such arrests” but did not quote the specific Parliamentary Bye-laws or legal provisions bestowing such a mandate upon him to so act.
Incidentally the man was so full of arrogance and hatred combined, that he vowed to retain and be returned as MP for that seat for the next fifteen or even twenty years.
Now the worrying issues about the utterances the Hon. Mohammed Koroma here are that-:
1. They were not only inciteful, incendiary and laced with unbridled hatred, but also run contrary to the spirit and intent of Chapter Three of our 1991National Constitution, which guarantees unlimited freedoms of choices in the exercise of citizens’ political persuasions among others
2. His threats were further not only brazen – if not audaciously lawless – but as an elected national officer who ought to know better, he was making them at a time when the International Peace Mediators were making painstaking efforts to bridge our political polarization as is reflected in various recommendations and resolutions ensuing from the recent Peace Dialogue midwifed by Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, and implementation of which has hardly started.
Regrettably since that SLPP MP made those uncomplimentary statements, neither any of our vociferous civil society groups nor the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has batted eyelids about them.
Most worrying is that this is not the first time we are hearing such inflammatory utterances from key members of the SLPP within the South-East against both the APC as a political party and its entire membership generally.
We heard them throughout the campaign days leading to the June 24th multi-tier elections, either from President Bio himself or his wife the First Lady or from a former female SLPP MP representing a constituency in Pujehun District.
In their respective cases they openly admonished SLPP supporters not to ever allow APC campaigns, billboards, banners and rallies in the entire South-East of the country. Through it all, the Political Parties’ Regulations Commission (PPRC) played deaf and dumb, as those same SLPP die-hards religiously heeded their instructions and proceeded to wreck untold havoc on peaceful APC supporters ranging from arson to physical violence that culminated in loss of valuable lives and properties.
To date, not a single one of those incidents complained of to the Police or PPRC has been investigated, nor has any of the perpetrators been brought to book.
Given those incendiary and inflammatory utterances by the Hon. Mohammed Koroma Kenema MP in the face of the ongoing peace and reconciliation efforts, one is therefore tempted to question the sincerity and commitment of the Bio/SLPP regime both to the full implementation of the resolutions of the Peace Dialogue, as well as to implementation of recommendations likely to ensue therefrom, should they not favour their overall personal and political party interests.
Another question that should not be shied away from is, could it be that by their sustained belligerence and obduracy to rational thinking, they could be harbouring a deleteriously insidious plan to ultimately declare Sierra Leone a One-Party State or even partition this country into South-Eastern and North-Western spheres?
They have mooted that many times before, so instead of wasting valuable resources, the SLPP should be clear about their commitment, whether it is to a multi-party democracy, or a One-Party State or even to a partitioned country.
And should that happen (God forbid), can anyone imagine the trauma they will put our APC party membership throughout the South-East for daring to have demonstrated APC sentiments?
This should be food for thought, and an option which our international friends and peace mediators would do well to also investigate.
And I say so because in addition to labelling the International Community as “Academic Dwarfs”, we have heard and read countless submissions from the SLPP Chairman Dr. Prince Akex Harding that the last thing their party would do is agree to hand over political power to the APC Party.
So if a decision is reached to re-run the June 24th elections or to call for early elections, would the SLPP prefer to take back to the bush like they did to start the Rebel War in 1991 instead, except that this time it will be to partition this country?
Among the many recommendations from the Peace Dialogue is a commitment by both the SLPP and APC to turn in to law enforcement agencies their respective party supporters openly engaged in disseminating hateful and incendiary utterances. The SLPP MP Hon. Mohammed Koroma is clearly identifiable as a key player in their party and thankfully it will not be necessary to extradite him because he is on home turf. So, would the SLPP wish to match their commitment with deeds and turn him over to the Police for prosecutions?
I’m just asking!!