Masters of Ceremony,
President of the APC Arizona Chapter, Mr. Idrissa Sangarie and team,
Chairman of the APC Sixth Region, Mr. Alfred Sesay,
Chairman of the APC North America, Mr. Suphian Kalokoh,
President of APC National Women’s Congress, Madam Mariama Lowe-Bangura,
Chapter Presidents,
Women’s Leaders,
Former Colleague Ministers,
Former Honourable Members of Parliament,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades all,
Good Evening.
It is both an honour and a privilege to address you tonight on this historic occasion, marking the inauguration of the APC Arizona Chapter. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to President Sangarie and his team for granting me the opportunity to serve as tonight’s keynote speaker. Let us also acknowledge the exemplary leadership demonstrated by the APC North America and the Sixth Region, especially in organizing various events across the United States. These gatherings have been a source of hope and inspiration for our party during these challenging times. Let us applaud their dedication.
Tonight, as we come together to celebrate this milestone, we must also reflect deeply on the challenges facing Sierra Leone, the state of our beloved APC, and the opportunities for meaningful action. This is not just a night of celebration but one of introspection, unity, and commitment to building a brighter future.
Sierra Leone is at a critical juncture. Over 80% of our population grapples with food insecurity. One in four children suffers from malnutrition despite the abundance of natural resources such as fish in our waters. Inflation has soared above 20%, and the burden of unsustainable debt is suffocating our economy. These numbers are not abstract; they represent the harsh realities faced daily by our people.
While external shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war have had global impacts, neighbouring countries have relatively managed to recover and stabilize. Yet, Sierra Leone lags behind, a clear indication that internal mismanagement and poor policy choices have exacerbated our plight.
We are reminded that, in opposition, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) accused the APC government of managing an economy riddled with leakages and pledged to close those gaps. Yet, under the SLPP, the economy is not just leaking; it is drowning in waste, characterised by excessive overseas travel and poor expenditure management. Salaries and pensions are delayed, and intergovernmental transfers lag behind, leaving vital institutions in disarray.
My advice to the government is simple yet urgent: establish a “Cut Waste Panel” to rationalize revenue and expenditure, reduce waste, and create fiscal space. Furthermore, halt domestic borrowing, which is crowding out the private sector and escalating domestic debt. When I served under President Ernest Bai Koroma as Minister of Finance and Economic Development in 2013, we implemented such measures, reducing domestic interest rates from 27% to below 5% and bringing inflation down from 12% to 6.4% by May 2014. We also introduced the Treasury Single Account for better resource management, which, regrettably, is not functioning as intended.
The government has also failed to build upon the successes of President Ernest Bai Koroma. Under the APC, we delivered over 1,000 kilometres of paved roads, compared to less than half that under the current administration. We brought water to Kenema, Kailahun, Pujehun, Bo, Makeni, Port Loko, Mile 91, and Kabala. In energy, we delivered 50MW from the Bumbuna hydro-dam, along with additional projects like the Charlotte, Bankasoka and Makali hydros, solar parks, barefoot women’s solar project, 6MW in Lungi, 8MW in Kono, and facilitated the CLSG power supply network, etc. The current administration’s contributions pale in comparison.
Most concerning is the unjustified tax increase on rice in 2024, further burdening an already struggling population. Sierra Leoneans remember the days when the APC waived duties on rice, easing the cost of living for the average citizen. With APC at the helm, such neglect of our people’s welfare will be reversed. We have the expertise and strategies to restore hope and prosperity.
Comrades, while the nation suffers, our beloved APC is also at a crossroads. We all knew that the 2023 elections were stolen. This was followed by the Bintumani dialogue and the electoral review conducted by the Tripartite Committee. As you are aware, the work of the committee was transparent and its final reports – the split report of the APC, and the main report of the Tripartite Committee – were all made public. In addition, the 2023 flagbearer and running mate, and the National Advisory Committee (NAC) were pleased with the APC standalone report, and overwhelmingly endorsed it with unanimity at NAC. Not only did we provide regular briefings to the leadership and the general membership, we also briefed the diaspora leadership and incorporated the APC diaspora into our work stream.
Looking back, some argue that we could have taken the matter to the courts, whilst others were averse to the idea on account of the bitter experience with the courts after the 2018 elections. As things stand, we are faced with the additional challenge of working with the development partners, the moral guarantors, and the government to implement both the Agreement for National Unity, and the Tripartite Committee Recommendations.
There are so many matters of importance that require our best and collective efforts; for example, the upcoming Census in 2025; making a choice between constituency-based election system and proportional representation system for our country, ending the 2-Sim restriction on diaspora participation in politics, and many other recommendations captured in the Tripartite Committee Report. As I speak, and it is of concern that nothing much has been achieved in implementing the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee. I applaud the party leadership for recently writing to the Chief Minister and our Moral Guarantors citing several concerns touching on delays.
The aftermath of the 2023 elections underscored the need for reconciliation and unity within our ranks. I pose a simple question: if we believe the APC is the answer to Sierra Leone’s problems, how can we succeed while divided? Let us not forget: a house divided against itself cannot stand, much less win or thrive. Peace and cohesion within our party are non-negotiable. We must unite, heal, and prioritise the collective interest over individual ambitions.
The APC has always been a party of courage, truth, and love. These values must guide us as we navigate internal divisions and work towards healing. Forgiveness and collaboration must take precedence over personal ambition. Our shared mission is far greater than any individual interest. Only through unity can we effectively challenge the government and reclaim governance to serve the people of Sierra Leone.
Dear comrades, a key motivating factor to be here tonight is my firm belief in the Diaspora Sixth Region and the invaluable role you have played over the years and can now play to assist the party leadership in shaping the future of the party. Now, more than ever before, your role is critical in driving initiatives that would strengthen our party’s internal structures and positioning us for success. I consider the upcoming retreat, therefore, as a turning point in positioning your region beyond the ordinary. I hope that a wider range of engagement with stakeholders will take place before the said event. I envision a retreat that will create thematic working teams to strengthen the party, as follows:
- Establish a Research, a Think Tank, an IT, and a Communications Hub;
- Develop a dedicated Elections Preparedness Team to train polling centre managers, as provided for in the Party Constitution, and track the implementation of the Tripartite Committee recommendations;
- A Resource Centre to support NUAS and young people;
- Create an International Relations and Lobbying Facility; and
- Develop a Skills Mapping Directory to harness the expertise of our diaspora for national development.
Comrades, I am not placing a burden upon you with these proposals. Rather, I am laying out this vision because I believe in your capacity to deliver, and these steps are not just plans; they are imperatives.
Tonight, I celebrate you as the enablers of prosperity, you who have lifted countless families out of hardship, created jobs and contributed immensely to our economy and political landscape. Your sacrifices and achievements resonate deeply with me, as I was also recruited from the diaspora and understand the unique challenges you face.
Many of you dream of returning home to Sierra Leone, yet the conditions are not always conducive for such a move. Despite this, you tirelessly support your families back home, educate your children for a brighter future, invest in properties, and contribute to the development of your beloved motherland. Yet, amidst all these, our nation cries out. Our people suffer under the weight of a battered economy, and our masses endure unspeakable hardships. This is why your role is so critical; you are the bridge between hope and realisation.
Now is the time, my comrades, to unite as one party, one family, with one purpose. I am not asking you to abandon your positions or principles but to seek a middle ground. Finding this middle ground requires a shift in mindset, one that prioritises collective solutions over individual victories. If we allow ourselves to be divided, if we each demand our pound of flesh, our party will falter, weakened and unable to stand. Our interconnected destinies demand that we work together, like conjoined twins, bound by a shared future.
We must learn to forgive. We must learn to collaborate. I have made my peace with comrades across the country. I have asked for forgiveness from all, including those of you here tonight. Let us rise above past grievances and focus on the greater good. Let us be the architects of a stronger, united party that can lead Sierra Leone to a brighter, more prosperous future.
Together, we can turn this moment into a defining chapter of our history. Together, we can ensure that our party, our people, and our nation rise to greatness.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tonight, I also take a bold step to address a critical issue that impacts the fabric of our party: the manner in which we engage with social media within the APC. Celebrating freedom of speech is commendable, but it is not sufficient. Throughout history, civilisations have recognised that every human endeavour must be guided and regulated, for we are prone to excesses. Regrettably, we have become a party where freedom of speech no longer respects authority. Daily, we witness venomous attacks on our leaders and on each other, eroding our unity and purpose.
This brings me to address those who sponsor and manage social media narratives. Let me be clear: we have not been using our collective energy for the good of the party. Instead of fostering peace and reconciliation, which are more crucial now than ever, we have weaponised social media to sow discord. Social media has become a court with no judges, no lawyers, no laws, no rules, and no decorum. If this continues unchecked, there will be no winners, only losers.
I urge all of us to reject and condemn those who finance and propagate adverse and divisive messages amongst us, our leadership, including our former Chairman and Leader, His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. These actions undermine our party, creating cracks within our ranks. And this brings me to a very disturbing matter that I am grappling with: if we, the APC, could reject Dr Ernest Bai Koroma and dump him now when he needs us the most – not forgetting that this was the leader that brought back the APC into governance, and did so much for us – are there assurances that any of us here tonight will not meet the same fate in the hands of the APC?
As a party determined to reclaim governance, we must not forget where we came from, not forget the hands that fed us – that to be blessed is to remember, and to appreciate the good old days in this short life that we live. Comrades, we must learn to forgive, learn to appreciate and celebrate our leaders, we must be disciplined, coherent in our messaging, and strategic in our thought process. These attributes will earn us the confidence and respect of both the international community and potential investors. Kindly allow me to pose this question to you, dear comrades: Are we truly prepared to lead this country? If so, we must rethink our approach to the challenges confronting our party. At this juncture, I wish to commend the Chairman, Deputy Chairman, the Secretary General and the national executive for holding the government to account. I enjoin all of us to pray and standby Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, as already demonstrated by the party leadership, and request that we individually and collectively reach out to him in this festive season.
Let us understand this: the APC is like a fragile Chinese dish, easily broken when dropped. Our reckless actions on social media are akin to hurling this delicate dish to the ground. And when it shatters, there will be no elders, no systems, and no hope to mend it. What use is a broken dish to any of us? Sadly, it seems that our party culture has shifted to a point where wise counsel is disregarded and replaced by ego and venom. This, I call the death of common sense, a casualty of unbridled free speech fuelled by hate and bitterness. Each of us perceives ourselves as victims of others’ actions while denying our own culpability. If we are to restore unity, we must find a way to manage these negativities and bring our party together. I believe this issue must be addressed at the upcoming diaspora retreat.
We have been witnesses to our fallen comrades before and after 2018, and we know the unspoken desires with which they were buried; we are also aware of the unfulfilled dreams of our departed leaders and founding fathers – all of these gaps are a burden that we must carry and fill. Our gathering here in Phoenix, Arizona, is therefore, no coincidence. The Phoenix, a mythical bird, symbolises renewal and rebirth, known for rising from its own ashes. This is a powerful metaphor for the APC. We must embrace a Phoenix Mentality, rising above our challenges and emerging stronger. I urge you to reflect on this symbolism and the opportunity it presents.
As I conclude, let me once again congratulate the newly installed leaders in Arizona and extend my best wishes for their success. I am confident that the Red Sun of the APC will rise again. We will honour the ideals of our founding fathers: courage, truth, and love. We are a party of light, and to shine that light brighter, we must shed our individual egos. If we let our egos overshadow what we love, we risk losing both our egos and what we hold dear: the APC and our beloved Sierra Leone.
Let us recommit to unity and purpose. Let us reclaim our legacy. I thank the organisers of this monumental event and remind you all that in the struggles of the APC, there is victory for us all. Long live the APC.
I thank you all