By Felix Khonte
Creation unlocks forth the portals of oblivion, turning man around this boundless pavilion, with great uncertainties, openly stretching their hands, waiting to welcome those that venture to take the risks of life’s turbulent journey.
After the discovery of this area by a Portuguese explorer called Pedro da-Cintra in 1462, who labelled the territory “Sera Lyoa”,meaning the ‘ Lion Mountains’, because of the beautiful landscape that resembled the shape of a lion. He did not commit himself to much interest in the affairs of his new found land. He was overpowered by British merchants who showed more interest in the administration of the territory.
The struggles of this land started when slavery became a dominant thriving enterprise across Europe and the Americas in the 17th and 18th century. Sierra Leone became a transit point for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade because of the proximity of the seaport in Freetown. Many of our able bodied young men were captured and sold to the white men who flooded the country with their merchant ships in search of slaves. This enterprise continued until slavery was abolished in 1807. Sierra Leone became a crown colony on the 1st of January, 1808, and remained under the direct rule of Britain until after independence in 1961.
This wonderful nation called Sierra Leone, gained independence from Great Britain on 27th April, 1961, and has aspired and tried to reach the climax of developments like other nations within the sub-region, but has been held hostage by a few selfish politicians.
At age 63, we still cannot boast of meaningful infrastructural development as compared to countries like Ghana, Senegal, even our closest neighbour, Guinea. These countries are far advanced in road networks and modern airports, not to talk of Ghana that has one of the most advanced medical facilities in West Africa. The underlying ramifications behind this backwardness lie principally with the governments and mostly the two political parties that have ruled the country since we achieved independence in 1961.
Although there have been some intermittent disruptions by way of military coups and countercoups during this period under review, there has never been a strong ‘third force’ to challenge this two dominant parties to take the reins of government of the country. Since the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1991, so many political parties and leaders have emerged with the sole intention of defeating any of this two traditional political parties, viz a viz, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), and the All Peoples Congress (APC), when they are in governance. I dare to call them traditional because of their historical background in the country’s political dynasty. The Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) has their strong support base from the South East, while the All Peoples Congress (APC) draws its support base in the North West.
To drive home my observations, I take a clinical look at what happened in the general elections of 1996, when the war was still ravaging the country. The main contenders were Ahmed Tejan Kabba of the SLPP and Dr. John Karefa Smart of the United National Peoples Party (UNPP). It was a fierce battle between two former United Nations diplomats: Ahmed Tejan Kabba, who had just retired from the United Nations and became the chief adviser to the junta government of the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) and; Dr. John Karefa Smart, who had also retired from the World Health Organisation as a high ranking diplomat. The elections of 1996 should have seen the emergence of a third force in the political dispensation of the country as Dr. John Karefa Smart was emerging as the winner of the presidential elections when the table was turned around in favour of (regional and political sentiments).
After heated suspicions of irregularities in the counting and tallying process, the result was announced by Dr. James Jonah, head of the National Elections Commission and Returning Officer. On the orders of the then head of state, Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, Alhaji Tejan Kabba was declared the winner of the runoff elections. It was a real litmus test for our emerging democracy under the new dispensation of multiparty politics. But the people were denied the opportunity for a third force to take the mantle of leadership in the country!
In the 2002 general elections, it was another hot contest between the incumbent President Tejan Kabba and battle tested Ernest Bai Koroma. This man has been fighting a series of litigations and court cases mounted by his party comrades. After series of trials in the courts and the Political Parties Registration Commission, he was declared to contest the elections under the umbrella of the APC. But it was not a difficult affair for the incumbent as people wanted to compensate him for ending the war and for the consolidation of peace throughout the country. Nine registered political parties contested in those elections where the incumbent president Alhaji Tejan Kabba was resoundingly voted for a second term mandate scoring 70.1 per cent of the total number of valid votes cast as against Ernest Koroma of the APC who scored 22.4 per cent.
The elections of 2007 were conducted on 11th August, 2007, with seven registered political parties contesting for the presidency. But no candidate scored the constitutional threshold of 55 per cent of the total number of valid votes cast. A runoff was conducted on the 8th of September between Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma of the APC and Solomon Ekuma Berewa of the SLPP as they scored the highest votes in the first rounds. Surprisingly though, lawyer Francis Charles Margai, who had made significant gains in the first rounds by securing ten parliamentary seats, decided to form an alliance with the APC of Ernest Bai Koroma.
According to the PMDC spokesman, Karamoh Kabba, ‘they decided to take that line of action to ensure a third formidable political force for the smooth running of the country’. Furthermore, backing the APC would help bridge the regional divide in the country’s political dynasty. Mr. Charles Margai even went further joining the campaign trail of Ernest Koroma for the runoff elections principally in the south-east of the country, the stronghold of the SLPP. The runoff elections were held on 8th September, 2007 and Ernest Koroma of the APC scored 54.62 per cent as against 45.38 per cent scored by Solomon Berewa. Ernest Koroma was formally declared winner by the Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Christiana Thorpe.
In the general elections of 17th November, 2012, it was a swift fight for the incumbent President Koroma who battled it out with retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP. It was a sweeping victory for President Koroma who got 58.65 per cent of the total number of valid votes cast as against his contender who scored 37.36 per cent. There was no runoff as the populace voted by the development strides President Koroma embarked upon in his first term. He took development to every district and province of the country by opening up roads infrastructures, building hospitals and health centres across the country. His initiative of free medical for under-five children, pregnant and lactating women helped him get the endorsement of the population for a second term. He completed his constitutional mandate of two terms not by ‘all means possible’ but by his performance and good works.
President Ernest Koroma oversaw the elections of 2018 that brought Julius Maada Bio to the presidency. The elections were characterised by break away contenders from the APC and the SLPP respectfully. Former vice-president to Ernest Koroma, Samuel Sam Sumana, formed his party, the Coalition for Change (C4C) but he did not contest for a parliamentary seat, unlike Dr. Kandeh Yumkella who contested for a parliamentary seat in his native Samu Chiefdom, Kambia District. He was very critical of the two dominant political parties and referred to them as ALUSINE and ALHASSAN, bearing the same characteristics in terms of bad governance and corruption.
In fact what the public was expecting from him was a far cry from his campaign messages. He represented a dormant and toothless bull dog in the house as he made no meaningful contributions condemning the wrongs of the Bio administration. People were expecting him to build a strong third force considering his age and experience as a retired UNIDO expert so that he could lay the foundation for his party to gain the support and confidence of the masses.
TO SAY THE LEAST, HE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEATH OF HIS OWN, AND THE OTHER SMALLER REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTIES, BECAUSE OF HIS SEEMING SILENCE AND SUSPICIOUS CONNIVANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT WHEN THE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SYSTEM BILL WAS TABLED IN PARLIAMENT AND ENACTED INTO LAW FOR THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS.
Since the infamous elections of June 24, 2023, the country has not been at peace within itself. We are going through precarious times that we have never experienced before in the history of this nation. The international community is at hand to try and salvage the situation, but we as citizens have our moral duties and responsibilities to make that happen. As age is automatic, so true that growth is intentional and our responsibility. We cannot expect to see a change if we do not create it. A fresh start is not a new place; it is a new mindset because our lives always express the results of our dormant thoughts. We can change environments, but until we change ourselves nothing really changes. Let us all as Sierra Leoneans stop the blame game and try to face the realities right in front of us and proffer amicable solutions by saying ‘TRUTH TO POWER’. There are no challenges that can overwhelm us as a nation because our Father in heaven has given us the grace to face these situations and still come out victorious. Let us all come together and try to rebrand ourselves as real patriotic citizens, with a new philosophy of ‘remaking our nation’, with one love to all irrespective of party, colour or region, and show the world that we can still stand tall amidst trying times and become victorious.
God save our beloved nation!