On-going Negotiations on the post-election stalemate has caused doubt among Sierra Leoneans especially grassroot members of the opposition, All People’s Congress (APC). Supporters are jittery and worried by the smiles and cool posture of the APC presidential candidate, Dr Samura Kamara with the negotiators.
They fear that APC’s Kamara would play second fiddle to the either the negotiators or the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). To lay speculations to rest, Dr Samura Kamara has assured Sierra Leoneans that the party maintains its position. Kamara, few days ago, told a group of APC supporters that the party will not accept any compromise plan that puts the party at risk.
“We still hold Wusai We hold,” a Krio phrase that means APC still stand by their decision not to participate at all layers of governance. It was a stance taken by the party after Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh allegedly rigged the elections. Going by the decision, APC members will not go to parliament and councils until genuine election results are published. While addressing APC grassroot members, Dr Kamara cautioned them to have less to do with detractors and political propaganda adding that such has the tendency to sway people from the right objective.
Sierra Leoneans, he went on, should not see negotiation as the same as accepting to let go an issue but as an opportunity to hear from the other side.
Citing Sierra Leone’s rebel war as an example, Kamara further stated conflicts of Whatever nature end at negotiation tables.
“After 11 years of civil war, all faction leaders signed a peace agreement in Lome, Togo which saw the end of the conflict,” he stressed. Kamara is quite hopeful that the APC stalemate would pass off peacefully like the rebel war come what may, but he remains highly protective of the party’s interest.
The APC presidential candidate appealed to all grassroot members to hold themselves in unity and respect party structures adding that the leadership would not disappoint them. “Unity is Strength,” he emphasised.
Looking back at 2018 elections, Kamara touched on how disunity cost them electoral victory. He also singled out disunity as the main cause of the mess by ECSL (Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone), a body mandated by law to conduct and supervise all public elections in Sierra Leone. He said APC won the election by a wide margin, but lack of unity created the setback.
Kamara is sure that disunity is delaying his opportunity to serve Sierra Leoneans as their next President. Immediately after the general elections in June, this year, key APC stalwarts are being accused of a sell-out to the ruling party making it difficult for the party to come together and fight together to stop what many call an evil plan. But, even at the eleventh hour, dialogue cannot be ruled out.
Religious groups too particularly the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL) has been accused of hypocrisy as they failed in their moral responsibility to tell true to power. The IRCSL never cautioned President Julius Maada Bio and his government while he was mishandling power, abusing people’s rights, killing and jailing innocent Sierra Leoneans. The question of where were the religious bodies when these power abuses were taking place has been the most popular questions asked by Sierra Leoneans.
Samura Kamara however believes that despite the demonic actions and omissions, the platform for dialogue is still necessary, but that does not mean that the party’s position would be compromised. “The fight is going on, and we are sure of winning,” Kamara assured supporters amid thunderous clapping and shouting.
The supporters’ happy mood signifies their unwavered loyalty and support to the party leader The move for dialogue came after the Commonwealth Secretary-General appealed to the two political parties to find ways if ending the stalemate. With dialogue, the stand off, Kamara assures, will end in the party’s interest as there will be no sell out.
He cited the US Ambassador’s message of hope in a media interview as a source of courage for all Sierra Leoneans.From the inception, the United States has been questioning the integrity and credibility of the election results and that someone outside is needed to look into what happened.
Asked about what will be America’s position if he (David Reimer) is taken out of Sierra Leone. Ambassador Reimer maintained that “the United States position is the United States position; It is not based on an individual. Certainly when the new Ambassador comes here , he will have his own style, his own way of doing things, but the independent investigation is the position of the United States Government and not one of the individuals.” Ambassador Reimer also does not rule out a dialogue between the two parties.
He called on President Bio to dialogue with opposition party and civil society organisations for a common ground. To clear any doubt of collusion with government, the US Ambassador kicked against a move to ensure that Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh looks head a proposed Election Investigation Committee (EIC).
If it goes as planned, the ELC will investigate alleged irregularities of the 2023 elections. Sierra Leoneans here and in the diaspora have shared US’s stance on the doubt held for the Vice President heading the EIC. Juldeh is a key player in the Bio regime; he is SLPP’s Deputy Leader and second gentleman of the state.
Besides, the Vice President has disappointed Sierra Leoneans on two successive occasions when he headed sensitive investigation committees. He led the Special Investigation Committee (SIC) which looked into the August 10, 2022 investigations without producing better result.
He also led the Clemency Committee which deceived President Julius Maada Bio in pardoning a murder convict, Morray Lagbawai, and criticisms about such action still loom. The question is: to what extent will the Vice President be neutral in the investigation.
However, the United States has raised deep concerns about alleged irregularities in the June-24 elections. Lack of transparency in the tally processes as well as inconsistencies undermined the credibility of the electoral process.
The rigging issues were picked up by domestic and international observers thus raising doubts not only in the United States but among the entire world. In spite of the stalemate, the US Ambassador recognises Bio Sierra Leone’s President although the United States is yet to congratulate him.
Doubt over the election result does not mean the US is going to alter their humanitarian aid to Sierra Leone as programmes will continue as usual. The health assistance package for Sierra Leoneans will still continue, and would be reviewed to cover more people.
As it stands, American aid for Sierra Leone will continue, but not the huge dollars under the MCC (Millennium Challenge Compact). Sierra Leone did everything to qualify for the MCC but failed in the Free, fair and credible election component. At the moment, Samura Kamara represents the hope of the people who he vowed to serve faithfullly without any disappointment.