In 2018, a consortium of civil society Organisations played a significant role in the transition of power from APC (All People’s Congress) to the SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party). The APC, now main opposition administered the country twice (2007-2018).
As provided by the 1991 Constitution, no person sits as President for more than two terms either consecutive or not. To ensure a smooth and peaceful transition of power in any democracy, election is conducted to determine a winner. President Julius Maada Bio contested the 2018 elections with Dr Samura Kamara of the main opposition.
Political analysts confirmed that the 2018 elections is one of the most hotly contested in Sierra Leone’s history. Most Sierra Leoneans were convinced that a transition was clear and imminent after 11 years of APC in governance. Several actors and factors were key determinants in the regime change from the APC to the SLPP.
However, a consortium of Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) played the most deciding role to ensure that power changed hands. One of the key CSO’s in the consortium was Campaign Good for Governance headed by Marcella Samba Sesay.
In the early part of the first round of the 2018 elections, Madam Samba Sesay was the first to predict a run-off. She insistently argued that there was no way the 2018 election would go successfully without a second round.
Madam Samba made startling references to past elections to justify her position. What she predicted came to pass. A second round was run by the APC and SLPP. Despite its incumbency, APC was removed and replaced with SLPP.
The coming of SLPP after 11 years in opposition, raised hopes for a great many Sierra Leoneans. Hopes were high owing to brilliant promises of the New Direction Government compounded by the feelings that APC had not done much. President Julius Maada Bio officially took over state governance in April, 2018.
The period marked the ushering of a new government in place. After three years, the people of Sierra Leone felt disappointed and disillusioned by the governance style of the New Direction.
Their hopes, expectations and aspirations have not been sufficiently met. SLPP promises have apparently turned into campaign rhetorics. The grumblings and wailings about the failings of the New Direction Government became unbearable.
In the midst of the people’s wailings, a consortium of 13 political parties has emerged to fight on a common cause. The struggle is to see the back of the New Direction Government from power in 2023.
The consortium covertly replaced the All Political Parties Association (APPA), the umbrella body of political parties in Sierra Leone. Consortium members say APPA is weak, docile and malleable. Its seeming inability to represent the wishes and aspirations of political parties made it suspect.
Political parties reasonably suspected APPA of an apparent complicity with government.
The suspicion of collusion made APPA as an organisation that signed its death warrant. It lost relevance, and formation of the consortium was without question.
In the consortium, three political parties, APC, Coalition For Change (C4C) and NGC (National Grand Coalition) are parties in parliament. Their presence in parliament is significant and the significance lies in the number of seats to their credit.
A little over a month since its formation, the consortium has proved its relevance to the country’s body politic. The consortium is currently an albatross around the neck of government.
Episodes and scenes of uneasy calm have always visited parliament since its formation. Quarrels, scuffles and fights are not uncommon in the well of parliament between parties of the consortium and SLPP parliamentarians.
The consortium is getting it hot with government as it continues to pose serious resistance to the enactment of and formulation of laws and policies they believe are not in the national interest. Despite 21-day maturation period provided by law, three major bills are currently on hold in parliament with the Census bill being the most contentious.
The contentions and controversies around the Mid-Term Census Bill lie in the political gimmick the consortium said had been machinated by government.
The Mid-Term Bill is a big political game of the New Direction government and thus a repugnant novelty. Eminent politicians on the other side have argued that this is the first time the country is witnessing the announcement of a Mid-Term Census. Opposition politicians expect a national in 2025 after the 2015 census.
All census exercises conducted in this country take place after every 10 years. For the opposition parties, the conduct of a census within a five-year period is one of the most bizzare. Owing to its seeming illegality and associated ploy, parties in the consortium are determined block its passage into law.
An eminent opposition politician has argued that the census is not planning for national development, but about gerry-mandering. Gerry-mandering in the political game is about illegally interfering with legally recognised boundaries for political advantage.
It has been widely reported that the whole Mid-Term Census is about the creation of new districts and constituencies in the south and eastern regions of Sierra Leone, heartlands of the ruling SLPP.
It is a move akin to that of former President Koroma’s 2015 census which led to the emergence of two districts (Falaba and Karene) and several constituencies. More constituencies in the north-west means more APC parliamentarians, a situation that creates difficulties for government especially in the passage of bills into law and seeking approval for major state policies.
The high number of parliamentarian votes secured by the APC in respect of the nullification of instruments of the Commissions of Inquiry is a clear case in point. Although APC could not secure the required two-third majority votes in parliament, the high number it scored created impact among public domain.
The little public acceptance and support the commissions enjoyed has been linked to the high number polled by the main opposition during the voting process in parliament. Other major policies and bills have also succumbed to similar fates owing to the number of opposition parliamentarians.
Moves for non-partisan local councils and having a cybercrime law are being strangled by opposition parties. They view the laws as ones that favour SLPP Government. Parties in the consortium continue to pose a serious threat to moves by government.
The potency of the consortium would be felt not only in parliament but also in the streets. They patiently and quietly wait for blowing of the whistle for the race in 2023.