The dust has now settled in Kono after Chernor Maju Bah was chosen few days ago as APC(All People’s Congress)’s running mate for the June 24 elections, but questions about Kono has come up. None of Kono’s sons and daughters was nominated for the second most important post in the party.
Neither Sam Sumana nor Finda Diana Konomani was appointed contrary to wide public expectations. Chief Sam was Sierra Leone’s former Vice President, and Diana was Local Government Minister in the Ernest Bai Koroma administration. Many Sierra Leoneans expected that Dr Samura Kamara would choose one of the two so that he would not lose Kono.
As it is at the moment, Kono would likely fall in the hands of SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party), but others say Kono is still on APC’s side. They are still hopeful of the party still having a stake in Kono. Others say the Coalition For Change (CFC), a party founded by the former Vice President Chief Sam is still in control of Kono.
The CFC, by all standards , is no longer a unified force as it was in 2018. The departure of its founder, Chief Sam Sumana split the party apart. Chief Sam, about two years back, returned to the APC following his reconciliation with his former boss, Ernest Bai Koroma. Four out of eight CFC parliamentarians followed the former Vice President while four switched over to SLPP. CFC councillors have, few days ago, declared for the APC. The race would have been a tighter one for SLPP if APC had chosen any Kono sons and daughters to important posts in the party.
But, none holds any post of strategic importance not even Karmoh Kabba, former Minister of Political and Public Affairs.
Nobody knows for now what will be Kono’s response. Few Kono youth however threatened, few days ago, that they would snub APC if no Kono was appointed in the APC. No official response has come from the three prominent Kono politicians.
The only action taken by Chief Sam Sumana after the convention was to congratulate and pray for the flag-bearer, Dr Samura Kamara in his new task. He also expressed gratitude to the APC for reinstating him in the party.
But, he did not express any intention of working with Kamara, but it is expected that he might do so in the best future. Likewise, Kamara has not expressed any intention of working with the former Vice President. Chief Sam, few days ago, reportedly reconciled with Finda Konomani, but the purpose remains unknown at the moment, but it is clear that the two remain loyal to APC, a party they have laboured for throughout the years.
It would be a bit easy for APC in Kono district if Chief Sam, Diana and Kabba stay and campaign in Kono for the party. It is better for the three politicians to throw their weight behind APC so that kono will not fall prey to SLPP.
APC too is however undecided about whether they need Kono or not. Some APC members say APC will win the elections without Kono. But, others say Kono is hotly needed for an APC victory in the June 24 general elections. If that question is posed anywhere outside APC, the response will be in the affirmative.
Anyone’s vote matters in any election, and a successful politician needs high numbers. Since early 1990s, Kono had been a swing district. They have no permanent friends in politics; they gravitate towards a political party for any moment as long it is for their own good. Kono was an SLPP stronghold in the days of President Ahmed Tejan Kabba.
The same situation continued in 2002 when Kabba won the general elections for the second time. They switched over their loyalty to APC when Ernest Koroma appeared on the political stage in 2007. APC was of great benefit to Kono at that time as they had the First Lady, Sia Nyama Koroma, former Vice President Sam Sumana and even the second lady alongside other ministers.
Kono was also with APC in 2012 , but parted company with the party after their son Sam Sumana was arbitrarily dismissed from office of Vice President after expulsion from the party. Now that Sam has returned to APC with other parliamentarians while others went over to SLPP, a political battlefield has been created and only time will tell.
June 24 Elections…
Kono Will Be A Hot Battlefield
The dust has now settled in Kono after Chernor Maju Bah was chosen few days ago as APC(All People’s Congress)’s running mate for the June 24 elections, but questions about Kono has come up. None of Kono’s sons and daughters was nominated for the second most important post in the party.
Neither Sam Sumana nor Finda Diana Konomani was appointed contrary to wide public expectations. Chief Sam was Sierra Leone’s former Vice President, and Diana was Local Government Minister in the Ernest Bai Koroma administration. Many Sierra Leoneans expected that Dr Samura Kamara would choose one of the two so that he would not lose Kono.
As it is at the moment, Kono would likely fall in the hands of SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party), but others say Kono is still on APC’s side. They are still hopeful of the party still having a stake in Kono. Others say the Coalition For Change (CFC), a party founded by the former Vice President Chief Sam is still in control of Kono.
The CFC, by all standards , is no longer a unified force as it was in 2018. The departure of its founder, Chief Sam Sumana split the party apart. Chief Sam, about two years back, returned to the APC following his reconciliation with his former boss, Ernest Bai Koroma. Four out of eight CFC parliamentarians followed the former Vice President while four switched over to SLPP. CFC councillors have, few days ago, declared for the APC. The race would have been a tighter one for SLPP if APC had chosen any Kono sons and daughters to important posts in the party.
But, none holds any post of strategic importance not even Karmoh Kabba, former Minister of Political and Public Affairs.
Nobody knows for now what will be Kono’s response. Few Kono youth however threatened, few days ago, that they would snub APC if no Kono was appointed in the APC. No official response has come from the three prominent Kono politicians.
The only action taken by Chief Sam Sumana after the convention was to congratulate and pray for the flag-bearer, Dr Samura Kamara in his new task. He also expressed gratitude to the APC for reinstating him in the party.
But, he did not express any intention of working with Kamara, but it is expected that he might do so in the best future. Likewise, Kamara has not expressed any intention of working with the former Vice President. Chief Sam, few days ago, reportedly reconciled with Finda Konomani, but the purpose remains unknown at the moment, but it is clear that the two remain loyal to APC, a party they have laboured for throughout the years.
It would be a bit easy for APC in Kono district if Chief Sam, Diana and Kabba stay and campaign in Kono for the party. It is better for the three politicians to throw their weight behind APC so that kono will not fall prey to SLPP.
APC too is however undecided about whether they need Kono or not. Some APC members say APC will win the elections without Kono. But, others say Kono is hotly needed for an APC victory in the June 24 general elections. If that question is posed anywhere outside APC, the response will be in the affirmative.
Anyone’s vote matters in any election, and a successful politician needs high numbers. Since early 1990s, Kono had been a swing district. They have no permanent friends in politics; they gravitate towards a political party for any moment as long it is for their own good. Kono was an SLPP stronghold in the days of President Ahmed Tejan Kabba.
The same situation continued in 2002 when Kabba won the general elections for the second time. They switched over their loyalty to APC when Ernest Koroma appeared on the political stage in 2007. APC was of great benefit to Kono at that time as they had the First Lady, Sia Nyama Koroma, former Vice President Sam Sumana and even the second lady alongside other ministers.
Kono was also with APC in 2012 , but parted company with the party after their son Sam Sumana was arbitrarily dismissed from office of Vice President after expulsion from the party. Now that Sam has returned to APC with other parliamentarians while others went over to SLPP, a political battlefield has been created and only time will tell.