DE PA OF SALONE – THE ALPHA AND OMEGA
We've been waiting for more than five years for De Pa to put a decisive stop to all government officials praising and "worshipping" him at every public function. Many people are truly fed up with these people pretending De Pa is the all-conquering, omniscient Lion of Romarong.
Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and party stalwarts always talk about De Pa's initiative; De Pa's foresight; De Pa's commitment; De Pa's knowledge; De Pa vision; De Pa's this, De Pa's that. Are they telling us nobody else has ideas? The worse people for this salamutuism are the political hypocrites - SLPP who switched over to the APC on the eve of 2012 after losing their seats in primaries, and those contract boys and girls going from ministry to ministry looking to supply carpets, window curtains and packets of paper to ministries and other government agencies.
May be De Pa enjoys this. Our public officials are turning Sierra Leone into Guinea under Lansana Conte where the General was everything.
Imagine this: Doctors and Nurses on strike - De Pa gets involved; University Lecturers on strike - De Pa is brought in, Seamen's Union angry with their leaders - De Pa arbitrates; Footballers have problems with the Sport Minister - De Pa settles the wahala; Third-rate musicians turn Lumley Beach into war front, killing people - they have a meeting with De Pa at State House; Belgium Sellers can't conduct their elections - De Pa intervenes. What is happening to this country? Why did he appoint 40 or so ministers for goodness sakes?
This game of crass brinkmanship in which De Pa always emerges as the man with all the answers does this government no good in terms of Public Relations. Soon birth certificates will be signed by De Pa. Bo unu lef!
CIVIL WAR DEEPENS IN THE RED CAMP AND THERE IS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
Please keep your eyes and ears open. As from now on never switch your phones off and remember to read all text messages, even those sent by total strangers and people you hate.
We've received about half a dozen stray text messages over the last two weeks and by Jove, they are very interesting. In true Politico style, we followed up some of those messages with enquiries in the right places and indeed what many people have said all along about a possible civil war in the Red Camp was indeed true.
We were told of people being thrown out of offices, bodyguards being disarmed and more text messages are flying all over the place.
At the Bank Complex the other day, we took our seat at the back of the hall as the Ministry of Finance did something we still can't understand with the "Agenda for Prosperity" document. We cannot understand because we had been given the impression that the Agenda had kicked off. UNA WAIT EN SEE! The two most senior guys in the Red Camp were there and we kept our radar on them. We don't know why the organisers behaved the way they did but the sitting position of the De Pa and Chief Sidiki clearly breached protocol. Two people were put between them and at no point during two hours, did the two guys speak to each other. They departed in this way: De Pa to the left and Chief Sidiki to the right.
There are exciting times ahead. Commonwealth Marah, who is also sponsoring some Support Groups to lead Red House, must be celebrating. By the way we plead with the failed Champion of the failed EITI mission, to increase the budget of the Sierra Leone Fire Brigade. They must buy new fire engines before the Red Boys hold their leadership congress. Long Live SMS text messages, Long Live Politico!
KAN KAN KAN STABS FREE SPEECH IN THE HEART
When a spokesman at the office of the Government Spokesman went on radio last week announcing that his boss, Kan Kan Kan, had ordered the INDEPENDENT MEDIA COMMISSION TO CLOSE DOWN two radio stations, we were very disappointed. Disappointed because we expected him to tell his boss in the secrecy of his office that he had no such powers. But the Spokesman went on and on and on.
We know the new Information Minister as somebody who enjoys making big speeches that most times mean absolutely nothing. It's not our job to teach our Spokesman the provisions in the IMC act but we warn him to take his time and read it over and over and over again. The current debate is likely to run for a long time in the media and possibly in the courts – well yes, in the courts.
Kan Kan Kan must know that without free speech his party would never have come to power, again. He is an interesting politician and we have scrupulously collected hundreds of newspaper clippings and pieces of radio interviews he gave to the media throughout this country in the last six years. We are absolutely saying the truth and he shouldn't doubt our resolve to help him secure his place in the political history of this country. We have just added his Spokesman's interview to that collection. We remain ceased of this matter with the INDEPENDENT MEDIA COMMISSION. By the way our eyes are firmly on his other portfolio, Communication. HAHA. Interesting revelations. UNA WAIT EN SEE.
WHERE ON EARTH IS THE GREAT WEALTH BUILDER OF SIERRA LEONE?
We are not the only ones asking this question. We have met people up and down this country - Imams, Pastors, Business People, Teachers, Dreg Man dem, even big time politicians who are also asking for information concerning the whereabouts of the man who set up the Wealth Builders Network.
We don't want to get involved with the argument about whether or not he had the correct documents to operate in Sierra Leone. We know government officials failed the people again and virtually facilitated fraud on a scale bigger than the Tsunami that destroyed Japan.
Could it be that the Wealth Builders man is among those who've been in detention for years without trial? We saw him once at the CID. Or was he among those who escaped from our so-called maximum prison?
It's just amazing how the criminal justice system in Sierra Leone has failed to put the Wealth Builder on trial for him to answer all the money questions. While we have been on this, Bernard Madoff has been tried and jailed in the US for his criminal Ponzi Scheme. We could think of no other country where the wheels of justice turn as slowly as in Sierra Leone. In fact it could grind to a halt sooner than later.
HISTORY MADE AT SWASAL ELECTION – UNCONTESTED, UNCONTESTED AND UNCONTESTED
The Sportswriters of Sierra Leone 9SWASAL) just can't have an election in which votes are actually cast. We witnessed their first biennial meeting last weekend and we must say it was well-organised but no votes were cast. For all posts, the Electoral Commissioner announced uncontested, uncontested, uncontested, uncontested and more uncontested. So what was all this noise about? SWASAL leadership yesterday is the same today.
There was a lot to eat and drink and President Fajah and his men smiled all the way to a second term.
If all elections were like the SWASAL election, then Solomon Berewa and Raila Odinga would still be in office.
On the SLAJ side, there will be a change at the top. Umaru Fofana will never dream of attempting an Obasanjo or Mugabe here. There are hundreds of Atiku Abubakar's and Morgan Tsvangari waiting to attack. He must surely be looking for a well-deserved rest now. One month to Go!
