In 2018, President Bio got congratulations from different parts of the world including the United States on his election victory.
An inauguration was also held at the National Stadium in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown to celebrate his political victory, but there is a big difference for 2023 elections.
In almost three months, President Julius Maada Bio will clock two years in office without inauguration and congratulation from outside Sierra Leone thus making history in Sierra Leone’s body politic.
Former President Ernest Bai Koroma was congratulated and inaugurated in his two consecutive terms he spent in office. Koroma held colourful inauguration ceremonies at Sierra Leone’s National Stadium and were all attended by diplomats.
Late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba also enjoyed similar privilege as he was inaugurated and congratulated by African, American and European heads of states and worked with him from start to finish.
Even the country’s previous Prime Ministers in the persons of Milton and Albert Margai down to Siaka Probyn Stevens, Joseph Saidu Momoh and the military ruler, Captain Valentine Strasser; all conducted colourful inaugurations and swearing-in ceremonies. But, it appears as if Bio would be inaugurated and congratulated only once and not twice.
The Sierra Leonean President Bio was sworn in by the erstwhile Chief Justice, Babatunde Edwards following one the most controversial elections in Sierra Leone’s history, with no inauguration ceremony seen or reported to have taken place as usual.
Following his pronouncement as winner of the June 24, 2023 election, many Sierra Leoneans expected the President to host a second inauguration ceremony in a manner that befits his second and final term in office.
However, the people’s expectation turned into a nightmare as they waited in vain without seeing one.
According to senior politicians, President Bio has one fear-the fear of being snubbed by diplomats-if an inauguration is held since reports have shown that he is not the rightful winner of the June polls. The polls, according to credible sources, is said to have favoured the opposition leader, Dr. Samura Kamara.
Kamara was overwhelmingly voted in the North-West regions, strongholds of the opposition party, All People’s Congress. Reports and provisional results from the Independent Radio Network also noted the opposition candidate made impressive inroads in the South-East regions, heartlands of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party. As the post-election stalemate persists, it is crystal clear that the United States Ambassador, Bryan Hunt would not attend President Bio’s inauguration because his country has taken a stance not to work with Bio because he is not the rightful winner of the election. The report by America’s main election observation body, the Carter Center Foundation doubted Bio’s electoral victory and even recommended accountability for those who allegedly rig the elections.
The rule here is, no diplomat would go against the foreign policy interest of his country. If the US Ambassador snubs the ceremony, it is also likely that the British High Commissioner, the Chinese, German, Russian and Irish Ambassadors would not attend the ceremony.
Such move becomes a big slap on the face of government as such countries considerably influence geo-politics (international politics)
The conspicuous absence of the diplomatic and consular corps will add weight to allegations that Bio connived with the Chief Electoral Commissioner to tilt the scale of the elections to maintain SLPP in power.
On the contrary, President Bio has attended several inauguration ceremonies of African Presidents on their electoral victories than any other Sierra Leonean.
Recently, Maada Bio was in Senegal to attend the inauguration ceremony of Diamanye Faye, one of the world’s youngest Presidents although many said Bio was not invited but forced his way to the ceremony. President Bio also reportedly sent a senior government official to represent him at the inauguration ceremony of Liberia’s aged President, Joseph Boaki who recently visited Sierra Leone but not for an inauguration. It was also similarly reported that Bio jetted down in Ghana to witness the inauguration ceremony of President John Mahama who, many said, played a big role towards Bio’s electoral victory in the 2018 polls.
Similarly, President Bio since his swearing-in ceremony has got no congratulation from an African President let alone a Western counterpart.
But, he has been congratulating his colleague Heads of States who make it in the ballot although his still remains a fresh topic of discussion day-in and day-out in Sierra Leone.
Failing to get the two means a deviation from Sierra Leone’s political culture and also cast doubt on the country’s political system.