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SLPP High-ups must reject all EBK appointments unless …

Author: SEM Contributor

A political party and its leaders must be seen to stand for something for the electorate to take them seriously. Principles, conviction and oneness of purpose should be the focus of any political party that has success as its goal. SLPP supporters expect nothing less from the leadership of their party. It will be disappointing for the leadership to drool over some insignificant appointment from the APC while the government continues its persecution of their supporters. A party worth its salt would insist that their membership be treated as full citizens and all injustices be corrected especially those injustices pertaining to them losing their jobs. It seems a few of the former ministers and/or leaders of SLPP are now thinking only about themselves and not the nation or the party.Â So let me take this opportunity to list some of the persecution their supporters have suffered from President Koroma and his tribal based government.

Immediately after the elections the APC decided to repeat the 1968 purge of SLPP members and Southeasterners who were not even SLPP members. Sierra Leoneans observed the unconstitutional sacking of the bank governor, the unjust dismissal of Mr. Foday Mannah and his deputy from NPA, forcing Abdul Mustapha on leave (he later died in a very suspicious fire which the government has failed to investigate). Recently, Dr Lawrence Kamara was removed from his position even when the committee set up to investigate him exonerated him; Aiah Gbakima was never given a chance for the Vice Chancellor position while Professor Alghali was illegally deprived of completing the great work he started with the rehabilitation of Njala; Mohammed Swarray of Airports Authority was fired because he welcomed a national dignitary. Now not all these folks are known SLPP members. All the APC needed was for someone to label them SLPP sympathizers. For instance Foday Mannah was actually rumored as a PMDC supporter but the fact that he was from the South and there was a northerner who needed a job was enough excuse for President Koroma to fire him. It did not matter whether Zubairu Kaloko who replaced Mr. Mannah was actually dismissed from his job in USA for incompetence. There is no evidence that Professor Alghali was or is SLPP. All President Koroma needed was word that his cousin Dr Sidi Alghali is friends with President Kabbah. Mr. Tarawallie is also non-partisan but his sin was that he hails from the Southeast. These are just few of the prominent people in Sierra Leone who suffered and continue to suffer persecution in the hands of Ernest Koroma and the APC. The question then is, which SLPP stalwart or genuine supporter would take a job from a group that has a history of persecuting your supporters or anyone remotely related to your party? The party as a whole needs to send a message. That is a national and patriotic duty.

It is the national and patriotic duty for all in the opposition to put national needs first.Â Ironically, some of the SLPP party members are masking their selfishness with the call-to-national-duty-cloak.Â This is most unfortunate. It is more of a patriotic and national duty of the opposition to protect and protest all persecutions of any Sierra Leonean. It is the patriotic and national duty for the opposition and its leadership to protest all attempts by Ernest Koroma and the APC government to impede the rights of citizens from getting justice and keeping a job just because of their political persuasion. In my estimation that is a nobler national duty than getting paychecks from a corrupt and tribalistic government like APC.

As a result, all SLPP former ministers, party stalwarts and others must resolve to reject all political appointments from APC and/or Ernest Koroma unless those who were unfairly and unjustly fired from their jobs receive justice.Â The SLPP leadership must be aware of the krio adage: fordom for me ar fordom for you; kratch me back ar kratch you back. The rank and file and all those who one way or the other are linked to you continue to suffer, it will therefore be the height of ungratefulness for you to just grab token jobs. You must show some backbone because at the end of the day, you are going to need to support of those now being persecuted because of you.Â If SLPP takes this stand, it will send a message that one SLPP member persecuted is tantamount to all SLPP members persecuted. Only SLPP can stop the APC pattern of persecution that has become their trademark. Mind you, the stand you take today will be remembered by those you protect if and when you children are persecuted in the future. Lonta!

By Abdulai Samura

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