By Felix Khonte
Knowing the truth can sometimes be like a matter of life and death. But nothing is far from the truth, which is always the truth. And when the truth is spoken, justice prevails, and heightened tensions calm down. The truth has no middle name, except the truth. When the truth is told, flatterers cannot withstand the arguments, and judgments, as the truth has no alternative name, but only the truth; and nothing, but the truth. “The Spirit Of The Lord Spake By Me, And His Word Was In My Tongue. The God Of Israel Said, The Rock Of Israel Spake To Me, He That Ruleth Over Men Must Be Just, Ruling In The Fear Of God”.(2nd Samuel chapter 23 verses 2—3).
Sierra Leoneans have for too long been taken for granted since this administration came into governance in 2018, because of complacency and lack of patriotism on the part of the citizens. I always pose this question to myself: How long shall we continue to swallow the bitter pill of the truth from a few selfish politicians, at the altar of killing the very fabrics that constitute our fundamental human rights and freedoms as enshrined in our constitution? What has really gone amiss in our nation today is, “the dispensation of justice and truth”. We all seem to have been captured by the magical spell of the ‘Gambian Satanic High Priests’, conjured to dance to the dictates of their charms, and satanic and demonic ornaments, to keep us all in servile fearfulness! “But The Sons Of Belial Shall Be All Of Them As Thorns Thrust Away, Because They Cannot Be Taken With Hands: But The Man That Shall Touch Them Must Be Fenced With Iron And The Staff Of A Spear; And They Shall Be Utterly Burned With Fire In The Same Place”. (2nd Samuel, Chapter 23, Verses 6—7).
LET US AT LEAST EXAMINE SOME OF THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF THESE INSTITUTIONS IN OUR REPUBLIC, AND HOW THEY HAVE DISADVANTAGED THE CITIZENS UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
THE EXECUTIVE: There are countless numbers of wrongs that have been committed in this nation that seems normal to some set of people, because of political sentiments or affiliations, whilst to a greater number of the citizenry; they are gruesome wrongs that are not good for the peace and stability of the state. We have heard on several discussions when the fountain of honor has threatened his subjects with bullets for bullets, when he has the constitutional mandate to safe guard his people from all forms of violence and ill-treatments. Citizens were taken aback when security apparatus attached at the presidential lodge, were caught on social media displaying their weapons, singing and dancing to mende music, threatening to shoot and kill anybody that ventured into the streets to protest against the high cost of living and economic hardship. There was no disciplinary action taken against them for their professional misconduct. During one his campaign speeches for the June 24th, 2023 elections, the president was so pragmatic that, he openly told his followers that: “he will not kill again, and that he has opened the political space”! What an unfortunate statement to should have come from the fountain of honor, who is supposed to protect the lives of every citizen irrespective of tribe, color or political affiliations. His spouse again had made careless utterances that had brought mayhem to certain class of people. Her most damaging remarks were made when she classified that only SLPP supporters are true Sierra Leoneans. And again, at another occasion, she told the people of the South East not to allow APC to have an office in that part of the country. It was after those unfortunate remarks that thugs associated with their party went on the rampage and burnt down the office of the APC in Bo. “Let Us Search And Try Our Ways, And Turn Again To The Lord. Let Us Lift Up Our Hearts And Our Hands Unto God In The Heavens. We Have Transgressed And Have Rebelled: Thou Has Not Pardoned. Thou Hast Covered With Anger, And Persecuted Us: Thou Hast Slain, Thou Has Not Pitied”. (Lam.ch.3 vs.40-43).
THE JUDICIARY: This arm of government has not been at its best under the current administration. The judicial branch of the government is expected to translate the truth in the dispensation of their sacred duties for justice to prevail in any democratic nation. There have been flaws in the dispensation of justice as against laid down principles of accountability and fairness of jurisdiction. The courts have been biased to certain set of cases that were brought before them by turning a blind eye to hearing them. The first and foremost function of the judiciary is to give justice to the people whenever they approach it, interpret and apply the laws of Sierra Leone according to the constitution, to ensure impartiality, justice and fairness in totality; regardless of political affiliation. What we are witnessing in Sierra Leone today in the judiciary under the current administration is a different ballgame that has been captured by the Executive arm of the Government. We are witnesses to the biasedness displayed by the courts after the 2018 elections, when they removed ten All Peoples Congress parliamentarians in favor of Sierra Leone Peoples Party petitioners. Worst still, they never paid heed to the APC petitions against the SLPP. “Ye Shall Not Respect Persons In Judgment; But Ye Shall Hear The Small As Well As The Great; Ye Shall Not Be Afraid Of The Face Of Man; For The Judgment Is God’s: And The Cause That Is Too Hard For You, Bring It Unto Me, And I Will Hear It”(Deuteronomy Ch.1 Verse 17).
THE LEGISLATIVE: This arm of Government, also known as the Parliament, where elected members of the public are gathered to represent their different constituencies throughout the country. However, there has been a slight difference in the parliamentary setup this time around because of the forced Proportional Representation System that was imposed for the 24th June, 2023 multi-tier elections. The people’s representatives in that house are responsible for the enactment of laws that are in the best interest of the citizens. They have the constitutional mandate to caution the executive for misuse of his authority. They are the focal point between the government and the citizens. But what we are seen in this current parliament today is a complete betrayal of their constitutional mandate. The clerk of parliament was reinstated after being caught and suspended in an act of corrupt malpractice by placing his wife’s name in the payroll of parliamentary staff. Is it true that our current parliamentarians have been loaned a whopping sum of one billion Leones each? This could serve as an inducement for them to dance to the dictates of the executive at the expense of the vulnerable citizens. Very recent happenings at the house of parliament when members voted for the dismissal of the outstanding auditor general is a classic example of the governments dictatorial antics to destroy the good intentions of hard working people that mean well for the country. “And He Hath Violently Taken Away His Tabernacle, As If It Were Of A Garden: He Hath Destroyed His Places Of The Assembly: The Lord Hath Caused The Solemn Feasts And Sabbaths To Be Forgotten In Zion, And Hath Despised In The Indignation Of His Anger The King And The Priest”. (Lamentations chapter 2 verse 6).
THE FOURTH ESTATE: These include both the electronics and print media. This is another very important organ of state machinery. This sector is supposed to keep the government on its toes by bringing out to the public the flaws of the administration. They serve as the whistle blowers of any wrongs or good things that the government is about to undertake. They are the intermediary between the government and the populace in a viable democratic setting where proper and good governance is practiced. It is therefore very important for that particular organ to have been regarded as the fourth estate because of the pivotal role it plays in nation building. It also serves as the watchdog between the government and the citizens. What has become troubling under the present administration however, is the huge amount of subvention they received from the government! This has opened a debate among the populace that this gesture serves as an inducement for the press to cover up the wrong things that the government is perpetrating to its citizens. “For The Punishment Of The Iniquity Of The Daughter Of My People Is Greater Than The Punishment Of The Sin Of Sodom, That Was Overthrown As In A Moment And No Hands Stayed On Her”. (Lamentations chapter 4 verse 6).
INTER-RELIGIOUS COUNCIL: These are the spiritual fathers and mothers of any nation that are chosen through the divine intervention of God, to be the arbitrators, and to advice the government when they are on the wrong path of running the state affairs. The seeming silence this time around by these important people in our society casts a shadow of doubt in the sincerity of their divine call. Our nation is currently caught up in a web of corruption, human rights abuses, rigged-elections and economic hardship. Innocent citizens suffer daily under the weight of these injustices, while those in power come up with policies that serve their self-interest at the expense of the masses. It is under these circumstances that the role of the religious leaders becomes crucial. The invitation extended and honored to these spiritual leaders recently by the president and his wife to go and have a dinner with them at the presidential lodge did not send a good signal among the populace. This has been interpreted as the unholy method of silencing these noble men and women of God to stay far away from speaking the truth to power. “The Crown Is Fallen From Our Head: Woe Unto Us That We Have Sinned! For This Our Heart Is Faint; For These Things Our Eyes Are Dim.(Lamentations chapter 5 verses 16—17).
THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS: These are other important sectors in state administration as they are referred to as the gate keepers. (The National Commission For Democracy And Human Rights, Institute For Governance Reform, National Democratic Institute And The Rule Of Law, Independent Commission For Peace And National Cohesion, Office Of National Security (ONS), The Bar Association, and a host of other civil society organizations, all have gone underground since the coming to power of this administration in 2018). Two factors could come out clearly from these organizations looming silence in sharp contrast to how they were very out spoken during the previous regime of the embattled president Ernest Koroma. Statistically researched, it is very true that majority of these organizations are headed by one tribe dominance specifically from the South-East, mende to be precise. Again, there is this brown envelop issue that has surreptitiously being introduced by this government to silence every meaningful institution to cover up their dubious activities as against the citizens. “The Adversary Hath Spread Out His Hand Upon All Her Pleasant Things: For She Hath Seen That The Heathen Entered Into Her Sanctuary, Whom Thou Didst Command That They Should Not Enter Into Thy Congregation”.(Lam.chap. 1 verse 10).
WHAT THE TRUTH CAN DO FOR US AS A NATION: Simple! If only all the above listed institutions could be bold enough to speak truth to power, I think this could be the starting point for the chief executive and commander in chief, to realize his mistakes for the sake of good governance, and make a U-turn in running the affairs of the state. There are no two sides to it, so many wrongs have been committed by this government to innocent people, too much innocent blood have been shed in this land that their spirits are crying for justice! If for once the embattled president could put on his thinking cap, and make a solemn apology to his subjects, for all the atrocities he has committed these past few years, honestly indeed, the all forgiving good Lord will surely forgive him from his abode in heaven. At the same time, the good Lord will pour out his blessings upon the land when justice, good governance and the rule of law is upheld in its entirety. This will create the way for a peaceful co-existence under the banner of our national motto: UNITY FREEDOM AND JUSTICE. “The Lord Hath Purposed To Destroy The Wall Of The Daughter Of Zion: He Hath Stretched Out A line, He Hath Not Withdrawn His Hand From Destroying: Therefore He Made The Rampart And The Wall To Lament; They Languish Together”(Lamentations chapter 2 verse 8).