STRONG HAND TACTICS TO REMOVE STRONGE FROM OFFICE
Our people in parliament have gone ahead and changed the 1991 constitution making it possible for someone without legal background to become Speaker of the House of Parliament of Sierra Leone for the first time since Siaka Stevens. The parliament ignored all cries in objection to their action. That something we are getting used to in these days of 4444. The overwhelming majority of the Red Movement in parliament backed by chiefs who we believe should not be in parliament is teaching the nation some serious and bitter lessons.
Conspiracy theorists are having a field day. Opposition parties plagued by unnecessary internal divisions have also suddenly sprung to the feet shouting foul. So what is going on?
There's no doubt that De Pa is acting in his own long-term interest and any suggestion that Red MPs simply went off on a tangent without the knowledge of De Pa to pilot this bill through parliament, is completely unthinkable. The majority of the people of this country have absolutely no idea where the Red Movement is taking this country because our MPs did not consult their people who sent them to Tower Hill on this constitutional amendment. But we are sure about a few issues.
1. The Red Movement, with the active support of all the chiefs in parliament and some opposition people for some reason we all understand these days in the land of De Pa, want Speaker Abel Stronge out of office immediately.
2. Speaker Stronge's strength of character and sense of patriotism and fairness fly in the face of the REAL POLITIK that many expected him to be involved in when they nominated him for the job in 2007.
3.There is a kind of urgency in the move to remove the Speaker and we must ask why. The same Red Movement has set up a Constitutional Review Committee (it doesn't meet often anyway) to review the same 1991 constitution. So we ask: why the rush to repeal just this provision?
The MPs say they are following best practice around the world. We've heard them. In our next edition we shall bring out a list of other international best practices they have ignored despite the cries of the people, as well as tell them the yardsticks civilised countries use in determining who gets elected to the legislature.
For now we believe Abel Stronge has nothing to lose. He has done his own bit and history will bear him out. He should just leave the place and let the MPs pick their man. We already know the next Speaker.
SIERRA LEONE BAR ASSOCIATION IN THE LION'S DEN
Look at what we have here: the Sierra Leone Bar Association has issued a rare press release attacking the Sierra Leone media. The Bar Association is our strategic partner so we find it strange that they could launch such vicious and groundless attack against a whole association because of the actions of a few, even if those few did anything wrong. That is very debatable at this stage. We welcome an open debate with the leaders of the Bar Association anywhere in Sierra Leone on the content of their press release.
The Bar Association knows we will respond. Respond, we will. We have collected all our facts and in the next edition of Politico, the nation will read our reply. Those who live in GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROW STONES.
ORBANGU WIDENS ATTACK ON POLICE HIGH COMMAND
Many people are very disappointed that the promised showdown between a radio-loving politician and a beleaguered police boss didn't happen after all. Francis Munu, the police boss facing tens of thousands of questions from his own people chickened out of the debate on a breakfast programme leaving the field open for Orbangu the politician to re-make his case with far more force and passion than he did on the first day. Munu now has no option but to fight back. His institution was badly bloodied on Tuesday.
Somehow the radio station allowed Orbangu to open up new battle fronts with the IG and his men. He went into welfare issues like the situation in police accommodation at Jui. He spoke about uniforms, boots, peace-keeping operations involving the police, purchase of arms and ammunition and so on and so forth.
Now when did Orbangu know all this? This is the problem with politicians. Orbangu had three or so of these badly paid and clad police officers securing his life since he entered politics in Sierra Leone. The barracks at Kingtom and Ross Road have been in very poor shape long before Orbangu returned home from Canada. These things are not new. And many people have been complaining. Where was Orbangu when the police arms shipment he is now criticising was being debated - did he not support it? Where was he when the main opposition challenger in last year's election, Maada Bio was stoned and injured? did he not say the man feigned it and later he self-inflicted the injury to his head? Why is our politician busy attacking the IG when as a matter of fact, the deplorable condition of our police officers is a shame for De Pa's government. Why didn't Orbangu direct his fire at the government?
Anyway, IG Munu should be packing his bags slowly. This country is now settling into this little game in which the sacking of important public officers is always preceded by a kind of media campaign against them, reference Petito of Mambolo. They are often orchestrated. Long Live De Pa.
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IN KENEMA AND KAILAHUN
The whole country is very quiet about the injustice thousands of our people are facing in Kailahun and Kenema. What is happening to the people of two constituencies in the eastern region where the people are not represented in parliament is a clear case of JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED. If this had happened in De Pa's land justice would have long been done. We have told the people in those constituencies that they could go without an MP for the life of this parliament.
It's one year now since elections were held in Sierra Leone. Why has it taken more than a year for the courts or NEC to rule on the so-called petition and allow the people to reconfirm their choices? Are we seriously being told that ONE YEAR is not enough for people living in those communities to be informed about the fate of those they elected last year? What is really happening to Sierra Leone?
Those two seats are rock-solid opposition seats and the Red Movement has no interest putting things right there. The man who petitioned the MP from Kailahun has since joined the Red Movement while the other is hanging on to something he should have lost the day he was soundly defeated.
We have to be very fair with ourselves. The courts would have long given a ruling and the elections would have been rerun without delay in the unlikely event the courts had ruled for such, if it was in Red Movement territory. This is totally unfair!
FILLING FREETOWN'S POTHOLES: IS THIS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR?
We are waiting for Health Alert, the NGO which gave the ultimatum we believe was an activity in the strategic plan for the sacking of Petito, to reassess the state of our roads and come out with another statement. Since Petito was thrown out of office, Road Fund Kaloko has called a news conference to announce that he was making 56 billion leones available to do the roads in Freetown. Driving around Freetown, we have seen people filling up potholes and we believe some of Kaloko's 56 billion leones has gone into this work.
The truth is, if this was what De Pa had in mind, then we are very disappointed. We believe the job is shambolic and will not last up to a year. Our roads have suddenly become a kind of coat of many colours. And it's not funny.
Please visit Model Junction, one of the busiest areas in Freetown and send us a message about your impressions.
We are very concerned about the timing of the release of that money. Coming shortly after Petito was sacked, we suspect some cynical manipulation took place and the Road Fund man will be pleased with himself today that he has managed to get particularly Munda Rogers out of office but we want him to know that we shall be there to pick up the pieces when his turn comes around. Very soon. Dis Na Salone.
(C) Politico 21/11/13
