City Peep coming from the slums is not versed in bombast and other intricacies of language but is interested in the welfare of the common man. Therefore Peep cannot play the part of a mute in this highly topical issue of State of Emergency until it lapses back to normalcy.
We were fortunately released from Ernest Koroma’s extensive State of Emergency and thought we would enjoy our normal freedoms until a real emergency reared up its ugly head but oh yah! We are back to Tightdom so soon. Our freedoms have been seized under the guise of a State of Emergency. Is the President suing a sledge hammer to swat a fly? Disproportionate! Did President Bio ever not know that there are several ways to kill a cat?
Two heads are better than one but the Constitution of even a so-called democratic country does not agree with this maxim by providing certain powers to an individual single-headedly barring the other heads. The good thing however is that there is a Parliament to approve measures. Like Dr Yumkella said in his contribution to the Parliamentary debate on the issue “We believe the crisis should be addressed in a holistic manner including an amendment to the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 with severe punishment of 15 years to life in prison if necessary.” City Peep entirely agrees with this position. In this case if the government’s objective can be achieved by a simple amendment why the overdrive? It raises serious suspicions of ulterior motives. The manner in which the approval was achieved in Parliament was highly questionable. Those drowning voices of ayes and nays were indistinguishable. City Peep believes it would have been democratic like the Acting Opposition Leader said that there should have been a DIVISION. What is the difference with rubber stamping? It is true that no Member of Parliament would in his or her heart of hearts be against the increased penalties of 15 years to life imprisonment but even some ruling party MPs if they were not block voting agree that the new law does not need a State of Emergency. If a referendum was held on the issue almost all citizens would have voted in its favour but not in favour of a State of Emergency. City Peep seems to be closing the stable after the horse has bolted but is making a point about its needlessness. Moreover the length of the Emergency should be shortened.