RED CAMP BOYCOTTING AGAIN AND AGAIN
The decision by the Red Camp to boycott today’s national cohesion conference otherwise known as Bintumani III came as no surprise. Even before the decision was announced everybody knew what the outcome of that meeting would be. In other words it was the worst kept secret.
Since their defeat in a council by-election in Kambia district the Red Camp have been quarreling about everything and with everyone – even themselves. They have retreated to their party office refusing to talk to anybody or cooperate with those who defeated them in 2018. The public doesn’t know what their end game is but we are beginning to hear from a few brave guys who are planning to tell their elders they are on the wrong road – a road that doesn’t lead to State House.
When Bra Minks stood up in that meeting to ask party militants about attending or not attending the conference it was a tasteless little thing that everyone saw through. Why didn’t you guys ask the delegates in Makeni who their preferred candidate was in 2018 if you believe in that joke of a consultation?
Here are some other events the Red Camp must boycott to complete their season of boycotts, walkouts and mindless demonstrations.
1. The coming by-election in Bafodia. At that point the whole country will know the guys are serious about not taking part in anything having to do with the country.
2. The petition cases going through the courts and not looking good for a few of their MPs. Just stay away from the courts and pull your lawyers back.
3. Tell your children to boycott the WASSCE exam in all government-assisted schools.
5. Why not open you own parliament inside that huge mansion in Makeni? Great idea! Think about it.
AND CHIEF SIDIKIE OF C4APC IS ALSO OUT
At this point in time there is no difference between Chief Sidikie and Orbangu formally of UDM. He set up the UDM as a surrogate party to do the bidding of the then ruling Red Camp. The way things are going now suggests that the C4C which set up to protest against the Red Camp is in danger of serving as another surrogate party to a very confused Red Camp because the leader has turned the party into C4 –APC. Strange things really happen in Sierra Leone – the leader of one political party surrenders himself to another party without any formal alliance and is concerned more about other party than his own. While some of his MPs are definitely going to be in the hall, Chief Sidikie says he has an engagement abroad which to him is more important than a national event of such enormous significance. From this point on what remains of the original C4C, sensibly resisting being dragged into Chief Sidikie’s C4–APC, they have serious issues to consider right now.
1. Is Chief Sidikie the leader of the party? Or is he now a Red Camp man hoping to become the leader?
2. What is the position of your party at a time when the man you call leader has described you are a snake born of the big Red snake. In other words you are the same. Is that what you told the people of Konoland?
3. Those C4C who are going to Bintumani III please tell us whose position you will be articulating at the conference. Are you guys sure Chief Sidikie will not come one week later and rubbish your position?
4. By the way between you guys and this flip flopping Chief Sidikie, who is really in touch with current public opinion in Konoland?
5. Are you C4C guys going to be able to hold your current constituencies in 2023 given the way things are going? You better unshackle yourselves!
NOW THE MINISTER’S CONVOY HAS BEEN SCALED DOWN
Was the minister really waiting for our comments for him to cut down his convoy? When we saw him going to work on Monday – a few days after our publication, the convoy was down to just two vehicles – one Hilux and the official Prado assigned to each minister. So we congratulate Mr. Minister for pretending to be listening to public opinion. We say pretending because there is no evidence this is not a temporary move aimed at fooling the public and before long the convoy will be back.
Are we really saying that every minister who is in charge of the police should have a convoy with armed riot police wasting taxpayers’ money and causing gridlock and punishment for commuters!? Or break all the laws of the road by creating the impression they are going to a cabinet meeting? We know that power is sweet, but for our ministers to go all over the place behaving like people above the law is not only disgraceful but also a big embarrassment to Principal who appointed them in the first place. The people voted for Principal, not his ministers.
Mr. Minister please you must eliminate that Hilux vehicle you include in your two-vehicle convoy. One vehicle is enough and please always take your place in the rush hour traffic like all of us do. There is no emergency when returning home after work, especially when you are not fasting at this time. Haha. Otherwise leave your home when all of us are asleep or wait till we are all home before leaving your office. Thank you sir!
EDSA METER CHARGING MACHINES ARE ALWAYS DOWN
Does Minister Kanja Sesay know how frustrating it is when we turn up at shops that are agents of EDSA with the aim of charging our meters only to be told “the system is down”? In the last four days we have tested this with five agencies after 5:00 PM and they have told us the same thing. So what is really happening? How much money is EDSA losing as a result of the inability of their agents to serve the good people of Sierra Leone? This is not the time to mention the name of the particular agent whose sub-agents have machines that are always down, but we are getting to that point soonest.
While the government has done reasonably well with electricity overall, it will make no difference if, because of badly run agencies, people are unable to charge their meters. And please not everybody can save enough money on their phones to buy through that network. People go with their little pennies in the evening every other day to keep their homes bright only to be told “the system is down.”
We will return to this issue next week after running a second round of tests in other parts of the city.
RAW SEWERAGE ON KING JIMMY BRIDGE
For the second time in as many weeks we are calling on the Mayor of the Sun to do something about that mess in the middle of King Jimmy Bridge. When that bridge collapsed and killed some people, your predecessor Bababode was there making a big speech telling people what the council would do when the bridge was reconstructed. Now see what we have in the middle our city and very close to the main hospital in Freetown.
Mayor of the Sun, we serve notice that we will not rest this case until that place is cleaned up and the sewerage pipes properly changed and put in place. We are a civilized people who cannot afford to have this mess in our city.
By the way, we will be visiting your office soon to see how things are going. We will checkout your notice board to see financial records. That is provided for in the Local Government Act of 2004. We just want to be sure.
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