TOLONGBO MP ATTACKS POTENTIAL DIASPORA CANDIDATES
A Tolongbo MP from constituency 070 is working furiously to walk back damaging comments he made about Sierra Leonean politicians in the diaspora who may be thinking about coming home in the next few months to contest for parliamentary seats. The guy was addressing dozens of his party supporters with particular reference to the issues around the Public Elections Bill currently before parliament which is apparently proposing that Sierra Leoneans with DUAL NATIONALITY be allowed to run for parliament.
This was a contentious issue in 2018. Some of those people who had found their way into the House in 2007 and 2012 were quickly denied party symbols and made to look like shipwrecked people who managed to swim to dry land in a foreign country. Already, it’s looking difficult with our relatives in the diaspora because this parliament is not the least prepared to open up the space to them.
So why did the Tolongbo MP launch this attack? He is now all over social media extolling the virtues of his diaspora colleagues, feigning contrition and asking for mercy, even if not in as many words. Here are a few thoughts on this issue from our side:
1. We don’t know this for sure but we suspect that another Tolongbo guy from the diaspora is in the frame for that seat and the current MP is looking vulnerable so desperation is setting in. As we say this is still within the bounds of speculation.
2. The meeting itself looked like something hurriedly arranged to confer legitimacy on the position the MP in question was going to take in parliament on the Public Election Bill. Why did he have to do that? We don’t have a record of MPs from all sides of the house listening to constituents before going for a debate. Why did he convene this meeting?
3. The MP wanted to use the shock and awe tactic when he suggested that if disaporans were elected to parliament they would bring strange culture to Sierra Leone, including children marrying their mothers. Clearly, that was a very long shot, in fact by a country mile. He knows that was a big lie so he is walking those comments back. We however think this stab wound is too deep and many diasporans would NEVER forgive this guy.
4. After this attack this guy has called attention to his constituency and he is looking increasingly vulnerable even within the Tolongbo movement.
5. From now on we will pay keen attention to his speeches both in parliament and out on the campaign trail. We want to prevent him and people like him in our politics from causing mayhem with these kinds of speeches.
INVESTIGATE BLACKOUT IN THE WELL OF PARLIAMENT NOW
In the middle of a much hyped debate in parliament, the lights suddenly went out in the well of the House. Meanwhile in all other parts of that sprawling complex the lights were very much on. So what really happened? As usual with Sierra Leone politics the main opposition parties are accusing each other of sabotage. We are not interested in the gory details of their accusations and counter accusations. Instead we are now setting out what we think happened and what lines of inquiry should be followed.
We will be ignored as usual but that will not prevent us from saying what we think.
1. The outage was just the normal run of things and we shouldn’t try to hold people accountable for anything. The same thing happens in our homes daily. It’s no big deal.
2. It could also be that somebody in the House was totally fed up with the way the debate was proceeding because their concerns weren’t being addressed. They thought the whole debate didn’t live up to the hype and it was time to send the MPs home.
3. Maybe the guy, with a good technical brain, was scared that the debate would have gone on and on till midnight and they were not ready for such a long day. We are not sure whether when the MPs retire for lunch in their canteen they would even consider the parliamentary staff.
4. It was a criminal activity that could have resulted in a fire in that building like it happened in South Africa. That’s why the affair should be speedily investigated. Sweeping this under the carpet can only encourage people to continuously embarrass themselves and this Land that We Love.
MUSA TOMBO IN ANOTHER TRANSFER MIX UP
Our country’s most well known footballer is in the news again. In fact, Musa Tombo has NEVER been out of the news. If his name doesn’t appear on the back pages of our newspapers it’s because sports journalists make a conscious effort to write about something else and not continuously serve their readers with diets of Tombo stories. It’s also the case that even when Tombo himself decides to keep out of the highway his attention-seeking wife drags him kicking and screaming back. It’s relentless.
Just when we thought That Tombo, after a successful campaign in the Sierra Leone Premier League, would be preparing for the African Champions League with Bo Rangers is preparing for another trip abroad. He is not going to Scandinavia this time; he is going to the south of our continent to undertake trials with one of the prominent clubs there, Kaiser Chiefs.
We understand his unnecessarily talkative wife was at SLFA secretariat to complain about this and that and Bo Rangers subsequently received some sticks from some people on social media who accuse them of attempting to block Tombo’s transfer. We doubt that very much. In the meantime let’s make a few comments:
1. Tombo should be very careful not to push the people of Sweet Bo to conclude that he is being ungrateful to them. They picked Tombo up when he was at his lowest after his failed overseas projects and did everything to rebuild his image and career. We are quite sure many other people are saying the same thing to him.
2. Going for trials doesn’t constitute signing a contract. There is no team in Sierra Leone that can put up with the character called Tombo. Only Bo Rangers Football Club has the organization, money and stomach to work with Tombo. We know he likes playing in mini leagues but his career would be on the line if he embarrasses the proud management and fans of Bo Rangers and then returns to the local league in the unlikely event of failing to get a contract in South Africa and becoming a Makwere Kwere.
3. Just to be further helpful to the young man, South Africa has winter and it can be really cold out there. We hope Tombo finds our comments helpful. We are nice people though.
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