Just as there is there is life after death so there is life after a president’s term ends. President Julius Maada Bio should know that in the presence of such global witnesses as elections observers present in Sierra Leone, there is a life waiting for him after the presidency. Where and how the president lives his life after leaving power depends on how he exited the public stage.
Judging by the way incumbent regimes fall all over themselves trying to consolidate and extend their power or tenures beyond their first terms one would not be careless for thinking that such leaders reckon that the post is an inherited one as in the case of a monarchy or chieftaincy. Sadly, the days of presidents for life, of incumbents not being willing to exit the public stage, are over. Now we require you to show and prove to us the voters what you have done to deserve another term.
There was a time in Africa and indeed around the world when presidents and other public officials behaved with impunity and got away with it. One is reminded of the likes of Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, our erstwhile dictator and head of a one party state, Siaka Stevens of Sierra Leone, Sani Abacha of Nigeria, Sekou Toure of Guinea, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, et al.
Such men ruled their countries with iron fists going as far as hoarding state wealth in foreign banks and orchestrating mass killings while holding on to what they consider legitimate state power. While such men die without having to face the music for their crimes against their countries, the international community has agreed on a new model that such leaders that use their people in ways that will be considered as oppressive including but not limited to state theft will have to face the courts to give an account of their stewardship.
Mr Bio, there is life after the two term limitation on a president’s tenure – or one term if that is the mandate the people decided to give you after this Saturday 24 June. Therefore while you are trying to stay in power and extend such stay, watch what you do and what people under you do because based on what transpired you might be called to give an account. The word of wisdom here is that in a proper democratic state where the rule of law is applied without fear or favour, no one is above the law – not even, and especially not the president.
Therefore, what life awaits President Bio upon leaving State House depends on how he treated the people when he was ruler. There will be a reckoning, sometimes it even goes as far as spending time in jail and or losing cash and assets acquired via your position or office.
Meanwhile, life after the presidency does not always have to end in infamy as in the case of former Liberian president Charles Taylor that is serving the rest of a 50 year sentence for war crimes committed in neighbouring Sierra Leone during her 11 year civil war.
Closer to home we will consider former President Ernest Bai Koroma. After he handed power over peacefully to President Bio, EBK, as he is fondly referred to, is now a senior global statesman that is sought after as elections observer mission head and keynote speaker around the world. Whenever he goes on international duty, President Koroma does the nation proud. It is as if he brings the nation laurels wherever he goes.
On the contrary, look at what has happened to the likes of Charles Taylor, former president of neighbouring Liberia who after refusing to step down from power and all the tussle that went on, he is now serving a 50 year sentence for crimes committed in Sierra Leone during our civil war while he was leader of Liberia.
Going further afield, after his surprise win at the 2016 polls in the US, Donald Trump was a highflying president. But when he started going against the expressed wish of the people of the United States, both Republican and Democratic Party supporters united and had him expelled after his first term. For refusing to accept the elections results and for fomenting what led to the January 6 attack on the capitol and for other crimes Donald Trump becomes the first former president in US history to be charged with a crime and had to submit himself to having his mug shot taken at a police station in New York.
This weekend, the nation of Sierra Leone is expected to go to the polls to elect their ward, council, parliamentary and presidential candidates. However, the people for the past five years have had to suffer being killed at scenes of protest actions across the country by state security officers, the recent violence associated with the elections campaign, the daily rise in the prices of critical goods and services, alleged corrupt handling of state money from all the auditors general reports since 2018 and much more. With the people reportedly determined to vote out the nonperforming regime, the president and his party’s resurgent faith that they will win the election, the allegations being made against the Electoral Commissioner, it would seem as if President Bio is not going to be willing to hand over power of he loses after having convinced his supporters that every president should do ten years.
The nation of Sierra Leone is tethering on the brink of a full blown peace after the elections under President Bio or all out battles across the country. ‘As the person that is the defender of our constitution, President Bio represents law and order. If he is accused of breaking the law then he will have to give an account after his tenure,’ vowed a well known SLPP lawyer.
‘The days of presidents breaking the law and violating the people’s trust are over. This is the day of giving an account. There is life after the presidency. President Bio must be very careful with all these witnesses around how he allows his party people to perform under his tenure. Whatever they do will also be accredited to him,’ he concluded.