By Ralph Sesay
Our present political system, which is based on the Presidential system, would not address the seemingly regional and ethnic divide we face as a people and country.
As Sierra Leoneans, we have witnessed huge tensions when it comes to elections and many attributed this to the way we have structured our political system, where political parties are formed with seeming strongholds, which are sometimes clothed by tribes and regions. Successive governments have predicated cabinet appointments on party faithfuls and professionals and technocrats opting out of the race because they do not belong to one party.
There is the ‘winner takes all’ syndrome, in which allocation of state resources also take this pattern. It is because of this pattern elections are always tense and a ‘do or die affair’.
This should be looked into by way of legislation in the next administration. We should not take everything from the west hook, line and sinker. Sierra Leoneans should settle for a political system that addresses these tensions in elections.
We should look for a local solution and adopt a system that would suit us as a people and not always fall for international systems that have the tendency to destroy and divide us as a people.
Whiles many believe that this is the root cause for tensions in elections; other people have called for civic education across the board, as most electorates do not understand the issues when it comes to elections.
As it is now the discussions around elections should have been on the quality of life in Sierra Leone, bread and butter issues and the effective management of our environment, etc.
But these issues are not coming up because it is the political class that sets the agenda. Their focus is largely on regionalism and tribalism. Some people have even recommended that we make it compulsory for pupils in high schools to learn some languages of the country and even reside in areas that they were not born just to have a feel of their culture as this would help to instill in them the sense of oneness and not division.
Sierra Leone is noted for the huge tolerance in most spheres, in religion and the family system. We have mosques and churches branded with names of tribes, such as Limba Mosque, Mende Church, Temne Mosque, but all tribes attend these religious institutions with no problems. A huge number of Sierra Leoneans have also intermarriage, especially in district and chiefdom border towns and villages.
But the question in one’s lips is, “Why should a huge division exist when it comes to politics?” “Why is there always heightened tension when it relates to electing our leaders?”
Is it the case that the politicians exploit this tribal and regional tool to divide the people to their advantage? Ethnic and regional divisions are always a plus for the political class even when they continue to make fake commitments during their campaigns, that they even condemn regional and ethnic divide messages.
The late Bob Marley once stated in one of his songs that, “Until the philosophy which holds one race superior over another is finally discredited and permanently abolished the world would not know peace.”
This is also the case with Sierra Leone. We should be able to see ourselves as one people and one country- hence the political motto of the SLPP.
It is very interesting when one looks at the political history of both parties and their founders. There is no trace to pinpoint any tribal direction. The SLPP was formed in Magbema chiefdom in the north, and most of the people, who formed it, were northerners, whiles the APC was formed in Freetown by Siaka Stevens and others. We all know him to be a Mende from Moyamba in the south.
Why we have these parties being hugely attributed to regions is a million dollar question. The political party leaders are not taking responsibility for this state of affairs despite their condemnation.
This is a tool they enjoy using, as it is to their advantage. This has sharply divided the country and it is also finding its way into the schools, churches, mosques and work places. People are now losing jobs because of where they hail from and the tribes they belong to. Is this what we want for Sierra Leone and our generations yet unborn? Certainly not.
In the March polls, while the NGC and C4C were preaching change, the traditional parties were busy trading each other with tribal messages and hate speeches, which hugely divide the country along this line.
Civil society, the media and religious bodies have kept sealed lips over this because some of them are spin masters of either side of the political divide.
At times it is even the media that hypes these regional and tribal divide. I wonder if they can play a part in addressing it. In fact, it remains a question.