Information reaching this medium is that the flagbearer and presidential candidate of the main opposition All Peoples’ Congress (APC) party, Dr Samura Kamara, is expected to be coming back home from his UK tour today Friday 12 May 2023.
Last week the leader of the main opposition and the incumbent President Julius Maada Bio were invited to the UK to sign a memorandum of understanding ensuring a non-violent June 24 general elections. The leading presidential contender also used the trip to touch base with APC supporters and sympathisers assuring them of giving the incumbent his marching orders, or notice to vacate State House.
Meanwhile, our sources have told us that APC organisers are planning for Samura Kamara, who is expected to land today in the Guinean capital city, Conakry, from where he flew to the UK few weeks earlier, to leave Conakry and head straight into a planned seven day tour from the provinces to Freetown.
This medium is of the strong opinion, and we also speak for a lot of highly placed and informed individuals and interest groups, that Dr Samura Kamara and his team should and must decide on or choose another alternative we consider better than the presidential challenger coming in from neighbouring Guinea to meet and address the people of Sierra Leone.
First of all, instead of flying back into Conakry, we think a rescheduling of his return trip should be done to change it from the airport in Conakry, Republic of Guinea to the one at Lungi, Port Loko District, Sierra Leone.
From London we expect Dr Samura Kamara to first return to Freetown where all of his supporters are eager to receive him from London according to how a presidential candidate is supposed to be received. They also want to hear from the man of destiny, Dr Samura Kamara, the country and our development partners are hoping will rescue Sierra Leone from five years of a failed government regime headed by the incumbent and his ruling party.
Staunch and die hard supporters of Dr Samura Kamara’s have told this medium that they expect for Dr Samura Kamara, the APC organisers and all well meaning people in the organising committee to remember that there will be a scheduled time for official start of campaign activities for the presidential and all other elections slated for 24 June.
This medium is joining these APC supporters to advise the party’s executive to impress on the organisers to stick by, obey and follow the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone’s schedule for the electioneering period and campaign.
The party and flagbearer should remember that if President Bio goes anywhere across this country it will be seen as an official work visit. But for Dr Samura Kamara not being a government official any trip he makes to the provinces will be seen as outright campaigning. We believe that such an attitude could provoke a reaction not only from the police but also from the ruling party who might send its rough and ready members to disrupt such an unofficial hence illegal gathering.
Therefore for the main opposition flagbearer’s planned seven day tour to meet and address Sierra Leoneans on the party’s plan for a way forward to start from Conakry, Guinea will be seen as provocation, which will not be in line with keeping the peace the two political giants were recently in London to ensure.
The people in Freetown representing all the political divides have said that they would want to welcome Dr Samura Kamara from London here in Freetown, and that if he cannot change his return trip to land at the airport in Lungi, then his seven day tour should be kicked off from Freetown, not from Conakry, Guinea as it is being rumoured.
Kicking starting Dr Samura Kamara and the APC’s seven day tour from Freetown will be seen as appropriate including the expected pomp and pageantry for welcoming a returning head of government. Lonta!