SLPP “STRANGERS” AND GRASSROOTS GREEN POLITICS
Many SLPP activists are trying to come to terms with the new cabinet just put in place by Principal following his reelection. On social media some have gone as far calling a good many of those appointed as ministers and deputy ministers as STRANGERS. In other words they have never been part of the struggle of the party to win power in 2018 and retain it in 2023. They cannot now understand how the people under the radar found their way into those big offices of state.
A few of these activists have told us their party is now in a difficult position and they hold Principal personally responsible for driving in that direction. They say he has appointed people that their foot soldiers cannot relate with and this could lead to frustration and disillusionment.
Anyway, it’s always good to listen to what people have to say and then examine the reasoning behind their statement. Here’s what we can say from this little corner:
1. There’s no doubt that Principal has cut down powerful guys who gathered or practically bought a lot of support for themselves and their political ambition in 2028. Those people are not happy. Their supporters are weeping. Right thinking people expect nothing less from them?
2. These big guys thrown out of office before the actual cabinet was announced made a lot of promises going into the elections and given their track record of making their friends happy, many believed them but now the hopes for big jobs and government contracts have been dashed.
3. The young, jobless party activists have largely survived by going around most of the old guard collecting a few cents here and there. The big guys from the 2018 squad have been dislodged and personal incomes put in jeopardy. It would be foolish not to expect them to fight back.
4. They call some of the new ministers STRANGERS because they are not likely to open their doors for bola bola politics. It’s a serious situation but we think that in making those appointments, Principal must have looked into the almost certain socio-political consequences. The game is on.
BROAD DAYLIGHT TAXI ROBBERY CONTINUES IN FREETOWN
With the introduction of Kekehs now we cannot wait for the last taxi cars to go off our roads now. Our taxis are slow, dirty and bed bug infested. Above all, some taxi drivers are criminals. They work with their colleagues to attack and rob unsuspecting passengers even at midday in Freetown.
This criminal enterprise is well organized and many ordinary citizens have suffered with the police so far doing very little to help. The police cannot tell us that they have not been reading through or watching videos on social media. There’s just the risk that something serious might have to happen before the police begin one of those big lectures in respect for Human Rights.
1. Ordinary people are likely to take action first, by totally boycotting taxis. Taxi owners and their drivers will lose their income and find their way into the criminal underworld proper.
2. When the people manage to capture one of these criminal taxis and their occupants and carry out mob justice, the police would be left to explain their failure to take decisive action when complaints were being made.
3. We don’t know whether this report is enough to scare people wanting to visit this country. In fact we thought about that before writing this piece. We however believe that provoking public debate and forcing the police to do something is better than pretending all is well while things fester inside.
KUNG-FU BOY RETURNS TO THE CABINET OF MAADA BIO
Please change your name to DENNIS if you are a politician and you want the proverbial NINE lives of a cat. Sacked by APC and SLPP New Direction, Dennis Kung-Fu has returned to government for the THIRD time in a senior position. He is the Works minister designate. The other DENNIS was sacked THREE times before Principal completed his first term. We’re not saying Kung-Fu boy will soon be sacked to equalize with his friend. All we are doing as journalists is telling our readers about issues and their trajectory.
Some of those who spoke to us about the new cabinet were shocked that the guy is back. So we gave them some reason why we thought he was re-called to the cabinet.
1. Principal wants to complete the record of sacking this DENNIS three times and after that the guy would travel to Kenema and be in good company with the other DENNIS.
2. This was the guy who illegally named a whole settlement as PAOPA Town and caused a lot of embarrassment for the government because the local people and their politicians in the rural area of Freetown easily overturned that decision and shamed the government. He has unfinished business around.
3. Principal likes ministers who act beyond their powers. Kung-Fu boy actually issued Ministerial Orders that absolutely contradicted the Executive Order issued 24 hours earlier by Principal in the early days of the New Direction government. He extended a curfew and ordered the people of Freetown in particular to clean up their homes.
4. This guy was queried twice before being sacked because Principal thought the people complaining about the way he ran the Ministry of Lands were so many they could cause the stadium to overflow. So Principal feels good issuing queries to the same people all the time and eventually sacking them when their transgressions begin to mount.
5. Occasionally Principal likes it when one of his ministers creates a spectacle on social media by arresting a ruling party member who turns up at his office on official business for witchcraft and making a big show of his powers as a man of God.
Anyway, we will return with a sack load of the methods used by Kung-Fu boy to return to the cabinet. For now welcome brother!
BENJAMIN MENDY IS FREE: WHAT NEXT AND HOW NEXT?
The French footballer Benjamin Mendy who is in the books of EPL Champions, Man City has been cleared of all those plenty charges of rape and attempted rape after many months of agony. Mendy spent months on remand, was cleared on some charges and faced a second trial on two other charges. He is a free man.
Manchester City said very little while all this was taking place after quickly suspending him from the team. From our little corner, we would expect Mendy to resume his career and complete his contract with the club but it’s not that easy. We have the example of Mason Greenwood. He was taken into custody in similar circumstances but all charges were subsequently dropped. They guy has gone on to have a baby with the lady that caused the police to arrest Greenwood but Manchester United still can’t restore the man. They are banging on about an unending internal investigation even as the new season approaches.
Anyway back to Mendy and we want to say the following:
1. We hope the guy has gained something from all of this. Being a lady’s man is not necessarily a bad thing. Many of those players making pornographic sums of money weekly are into big brands – cars, furniture and home decorations, clothing and they even own private jets. So there's nothing wrong with enjoying the good things of this world but let’s be honest, Mendy pushed things too far with all those parties, booze and women.
2. Now he is a free man, we believe he should be allowed to return to work immediately with his head held high. There should be no doubt about that. We don’t want to hear anything like INTERNAL INVESTIGATION as in the case of Greenwood. The man is free. That’s all.
3. Nobody is saying anything now about those girls who falsely accused Mendy of rape and attempted rape. Had Mendy been convicted they would have gone after his money subsequently. Even the police who investigated the case ought to have seen through some of the lies told to that court. We are not lawyers but we knew the case would fail. Something must be done about those women.
4. Mendy’s lawyer did a fantastic job. He had the money and could pay for such a service. We believe that there are many other people in jail in that country because they cannot afford such high quality legal representation. How sad!
5. Maybe Mendy should simply end his contract; collect what little money is left and return home. Instead of buying mansions and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on pool parties that only end up in rape trials, Mendy should emulate Sadio Mane – he should try and change lives in Africa. Mendy has French citizenship but he is an African. We hope he lives happily ever after.
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