MAYA KAIKAI IN THE MIRE IN KAILAHUN TOWN
So can Maya Kaikai please tell this nation what he was doing in Kailahun town the other day? On the day political violence broke out in that place, we saw social media photos of him relaxing around with a few other RED people. We even heard him on radio explaining what he was supposed or not supposed to have done that might have potentially triggered some ugly scenes.
To be honest we really can’t understand what this struggle is all about. What is it? Maya would quickly tell us he went there to campaign for his party’s candidate in the coming bye-election. Come on! Doesn’t this guy have a job to do in Freetown? Was he there at his own expense – his own car, personal bodyguards and all that? Or was he there in his official status? We are concerned because the good people of Sierra Leone are paying for all that and they do not approve of ministers and deputy ministers going on partisan political campaigns with their money. By the way, this practice is as old as late Siaka Stevens. Does this mean Sierra Leone hasn’t moved since those days?
There was a time in this country when the Electoral Commission warned all politicians who were not directly connected to such bye-elections not to enter election zones at such times; and for ministers NOT to go there at all, especially if using state resources. Is that regulation still in place? As soon as ministers begin to appear in such places with their police guards and their vehicle with that ministerial registration number plate, tension is bound to mount.
We plead with Maya to return to Freetown and do whatever he is doing for the people of Sierra Leone. He doesn’t have to make it a personal mission to win that seat for the Red Movement just because he traces his roots to that place. Stay in your office Mr. MINISTER. The Red Movement has a well-oiled ground operation that can make things happen. Stay away! People have been there before you and they messed up in similar fashion. We all know what they are up to these days - begging to eke out a living. GOD NOR DAE SLEEP!
The same thing Orbangu went to the UK or so and he was all over the place on party matters when he was being paid for and given per diem BY THE STATE - not the Red Movement. When will fairness and fear in the Lord enter the conscience of our leaders - appointed or elected!
LIKE AN OBJECT IN THE MIRROR, TRUMP IS CLOSER THAN HE APPEARS
Ask many people in and outside America, they would tell you they thought Trump was joking about wanting to be president of the greatest nation on planet earth. There's a sense in which we could argue that even Mr. “DONALD J TRUMP” thought his was a big April fool’s joke. Now, as the presumptive nominee of the GOP, Trump, like objects in a car's mirror, is closer to the White House than he appeared only yesterday.
This is definitely no longer a joke. Chinua Achebe says when a handshake reaches the elbow it becomes a wrestling match. Trump's bid to be president of Obama Land is definitely now something that looks very likely. So let's imagine what the world would like on the morning after the declaration of a Trump victory. And we base our comments entirely on what the guy himself has been saying during his campaign so far.
1. A WALL on the border with Mexico - We note that Trump is not talking about a fence. He is talking about a “Wall”. A fence is neighbourly. A wall is a little hostile. In fact, Trump says Mexicans "bring drugs...they are criminals". So why not build a wall? It makes a lot of sense. In fact, Trump believes Mexico would pay for a wall that would negatively impact their economy and self-esteem. We are waiting to see that happen.
2. No Visa for Muslims - We don't know how strong the Muslim vote is in America. We hear there are THREE MILLION or so Muslims there. In electoral terms, that is a serious figure, especially considering how closely Bush won against Al Gore. No doubt they would do Mr. Trump no favours when they go to the polls in November. He doesn't seem to bother, at least from what we see on TV. But in what would look like a tight race, Trump would need every vote. And there are no hanging or dimple chards anymore. Even in Miami Dade County or Palm Beach county.
3. Catholics must relocate to Rome – Trump tried to pull back from his aggressive posture with the Pope but we believe that his campaign strategists must have told him not to risk open confrontation with the billion-man strong Catholic church. Maybe, all Catholics in the US should consider heading to the Vatican.
4. Greedy and corrupt Africa leaders - As far as this group is concerned, we couldn't care less what Trumps does with them - look at Pierre Nkurunziza, Paul Kagame, Yoweri Museveni, Denis Sasso Nguesso and a host of others now showing such terrible tendencies. We plead with Mr. Trump, to remember to evacuate ordinary people from the line of fire when he decides to send in the Navy Seals to take those leaders out or away.
5. Journalists - Trump's presidency would be a field day for journalists who like to have juicy quotes in their stories. Obama says Trump cannot win. We shall see. In Sierra Leone, we say Play Play Kill Bod. The world must stay awake on election night. Those who have ears let them hear.
SALONE MAN STEALING FROM EVEN THE DEAD
Every day brings some strange news about the level of desperation in this country. Young men have now sunk to the lowest of the low to be opening up graves in the dead of night and stealing from the dead. What is really happening in this country? There are ministries and agencies, even NGOs, who say they are doing everything to change the lives of the young people of this country. So far we are not impressed.
1. We are getting to a point where rich families who spend millions trying to create a second home of luxury for their relatives in the grave, would have to hire private armed security guards to keep those graves intact.
2. The Freetown City Council has lost control of its cemeteries. A group of boys calling themselves FRIENDS OF THE DEAD have settled and entrenched themselves among the graves at Ascension Town right under the noses of the council. Now, it would take military-style action to evict them. Who does the council think is stealing from the dead?
3. The Freetown City Council under Herbert George-Williams started a project to build a fence around our cemeteries. The project went half way and collapsed. Herbert didn't complete anything in fact. Bababode's council has simply ignored the fence project. No rest for the dead.
4. When those who should succeed the present leaders of a nation think they can only survive by living among the dead and stealing from graves, that nation is in deep trouble.
5. Maybe we should totally forget about this graveyard stealing business. It's a rich man's problem. No criminal will ever touch a poor man's grave. They are not interested. What is there to steal?
BEHIND THE STADIUM WALL IS A SEA OF MESS, BUT WHO CARES?
Today, we remember Pope John Paul of the sport ministry. Yeah, the guy was quick to ban people from the stadium and ask them to go tell Lord Haw Haw. All he required was for anybody to tell him to be fair with those who disagreed with some of his warped policies and pronouncements. Many have been banned on paper but the Pope knew he had no capacity to enforce a ban but he announced them anyway.
While he was doing all that, he forgot to look over the wall. There is a big disgrace behind the walls of the stadium near the gate leading to the Ascension Town cemetery. The huge gutter near the stadium wall is packed with rubbish and is overflowing across the street, into the cemetery. And close by, somebody has abandoned a bus since God knows when. All vital parts of the bus have been cannibalised. So who does the owner expect to clear his mess?
This is a growing trend in Freetown - people dump their rotten cars on the streets with no consequences. And even in the Pope's backyard, a rotten bus and overflowing dirty water tell a story of an abandoned public facility. What's all this noise about the national stadium when we can't even keep it up to standard? Even the mess left behind by flood victims and their criminal invaders is still around in different parts of the place. Come on Mr. NEW MINISTER, take control of this place.
(C) Politico 23/06/16
