Uncontrollable and sporadic violence in the SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) office in the eastern headquaters of Kenema has turned the office into a war zone. The violence has compelled personnel of the Operations Support Division, the armed wing of the Sierra Leone Police, to take over the office.
SLP’s mission is to protect the office from falling into flames and ruins. The vicinity has been cordoned off, and no party member was allowed in. The SLPP office and furniture in the office was vandalised, and under threats of further vandalism by youths in possession of machetes and other missiles and offensive weapons.
In the midst of the violence, Resident Minister East, Andrew Fatorma, SLPP District Chairman in Kenema, Mohamed Koroma and former Honourable members of parliament have been accused of fomenting the violence.
This press could not reach some of the accused stakeholders to get their own side. Speaking from a hospital bed in Kenema Government Hospital, SLPP Secretary-General, Sama Vandy Sama says he is in a critical condition.
Sama was being examined by medics for appropriate treatment. Owing to his condition, Sama’s going out of the hospital would be based upon medical directives. A medical form issued by the police has been endorsed by the medics. Should he get well and sound, he would still be jittery of leaving the hospital as threats of further violence still hangs on him.
The youths, he says, are under instruction to get rid of him. Sama was physically assaulted by his SLPP comrades who, he says, have quickly constituted themselves into vicious thugs ready to unleash mayhem to peace-loving members of the party.
The district Secretary-General accused his boss, Mohamed Koroma to have masterminded his physical assault. The two personalities, the Chairman and the Secretary-General, Mohamed Koroma and Sama Vandy respectively had interest in the party cards especially control and distribution.
Conflict over custodianship reached an uncontrollable level between the Chairman and the Sectary-General when violence engulfed the party building.
Sama who is currently responding to medical treatment told this press that a crowd of marshalls assaulted him on the instruction of the party Chairman.
But, the Chairman, Mohamed Koroma told a different story. He first denied the assault allegations before coming to the issue of the party cards. His story indicates that the party cards must be handed over to him as chairman of the party in the district.
“All party cards must be handed over to the Chairman of the district in the presence of the district executive,” the Chairman told this press. Having signed for the party cards handed over to him by Hon Sartie Banya, he went on, he handed over the cards to the Public Relations officer for safe keeping till the next general meeting scheduled to take place the following day.
The Chairman stressed that he was completely clueless about what the plan the SLPP boys had at that time.
“I never knew that they had a different mission,” the Chairman expressed doubt.
He said the party cards were in the possession of the PRO when some of the youths forcefully got hold of the box containing them.
“Their aim was to take away the party cards from the PRO,” he told this press.
The chairman further explained that several youths sustained injuries in the violence that followed.
“Most of them have made reports to the police station, and the police are investigating the matter,” he said.
The chairman also pointed out vaulting political ambition by some members as one of the chief causes of conflict in the SLPP. “When people are position of trust, they usually do not want to go. This ambition is the main cause of the problem within the SLPP,” he emphasised.
He also told this press that the party cards were meant to be shared among constituencies and that the proceeds be deposited into the party account.
“There is no specific quota for a constituency. We sell the cards according to how they are bought,” he told this press.
The Chairman also seemed defensive of those youths accused to have caused the violence. He said the office had no party thugs, but members of the young generation who, he said were responsible for cleaning the office.
“I would have lost my life if these boys were not here. The young generation members have never gone out to attack anyone. They acted in self-defence because you cannot sit down and somebody harms you like that,” he said.
He said those who attacked him were armed with machetes, and he was lost in wonders about the calamity that would have befallen him.
As usual, the chairman called on the law-enforcement agency to investigate and bring the culprits to justice. The Chairman hopes that barbarism in politics would be brought to an end if wrong doers are investigated and prosecuted. The party office, he said, was not a place to attack people and destroy property.
“I am pleading with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police to treat the matter with utmost urgency and seriousness than it deserves,” he appealed.
He however pointed accusing fingers at members of parliament for fuelling the violence at the party office in Kenema. Investigation by this press indicates that after a date was slated for the lower-level elections; several modalities were put in place to ensure a successful outcome.
Rules to ensure peaceful elections were drawn during the party meeting and approved by NEC. It was also agreed during the meeting that party cards be printed for distribution in various constituencies in Kenema district.
The cards must be handed over to the district executive in the presence of stakeholders. One of the decisions taken during the meeting was realised; the party cards were brought in by Hon. Sartie Banya for onward delivery to the district executive.
At the time the cards were brought, the office was congested; a situation that prompted the Secretary-General to raise concern since party cards is a sensitive issue in any political party.
Owing to the congested nature of the office at that time, it was suggested by the Secretary-General that people should leave to make the situation less rowdy.
As custodian of documentations in the party, the Secretary-General was taking records when conflict arose between him and the chairman as to who should be in control of the party cards.
It was unclear as to who the party cards should be handed over to.
One account shows that the party cards should be handed over to the district executive and not to an individual while the other shows something contrary.
Political thuggery which has claimed the lives of many young men in Kenema town has always been the normal order in that part of the country. The violence over distribution of party cards is part of waves of violence into which Kenema has fallen over the years.
In such violent situations, most times, the youths are fatally injured. Effort by ministers and important stakeholders to restore order in the party has failed.