ORBANGU SHIFTING TO THE LEFT: HAS DE PA BLOCKED HIS MOBILE PHONE NUMBER?
We finally found reason to, for once, agree with OrBangu on some points he made in an interview on 98.1 FM last week. He didn't say anything new but the fact that those words were falling from his lips on the most popular breakfast radio programme in Freetown, says a lot about how far he's travelled from his uncritical support for everything De Pa even thinks about to his self-ascribed role as a national political leader.
OrBangu complained about police brutality, corruption, winner-takes-all, unnecessarily big government, and a presidency that is too powerful. These are the same issues which many people have been complaining about even in those days when even a mention of De Pa's name before or after any of the issues above would stampede OrBangu into hurriedly calling a news conference and issuing a press statement condemning those who had the misfortune of saying that about De Pa; sometimes in very strong language. OrBangu would follow that up the next day with one of those long and confusing interviews on the same 98.1 FM blasting and describing people as SLPP supporters who are jealous of De Pa.
We agree with OrBangu that to have separated the former Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports into three ministries with three ministers and four deputies cannot be explained in these days of massive suffering and despondency.
The number of presidential aides appointed by De Pa since 2007 has doubled. It's almost as if one presidential adviser is appointed every month.
Like many other Sierra Leoneans, we are very concerned that the cost of our so-called democracy is becoming unbearable. The democratic institutions set up to help in the running of the state are being persistently undermined with mighty political force while officials lie and pretend nobody understands what the position is. All power is being concentrated into the hands of De Pa and we know why.
Siaka Stevens was far more adept at this but he died a lonely man at Kabassa Lodge. His former lodge at King Herman Road and Kabassa Lodge itself are now in complete ruins. Bob Marley talked about people playing smart without being clever.
JUDICIARY LOSES PATIENCE WITH PADEMBA ROAD COURT LAWYERS: WAS COWAN RIGHT?
We visited the Pademba Road court building the other day to help get one of our colleagues out of a carefully organised legal conundrum. While we stood outside waiting for the painfully slow bail procedures to be completed, we decided to read some public notices on the walls of the brand new court building. One of the many notices had a very interesting message and we thought we could make a comment or two as ordinary citizens of Sierra Leone who have to deal with the justice system from time to time.
Here we go:
NOTICE: "It has been brought to the attention of the Hon. Chief Justice that some Lawyers attending the Pademba road Magistrates Court are allegedly using the corridors of the courts to consult their clients instead of using their respective chambers"
TWITTER - Well we are very surprised that the Chief Justice is being informed about this only now. This should serve as a reason for her to be a little more engaged with the goings-on in her courtrooms. May be she should consider using the backdoor that Charles Margai says every other person uses to enter the main court building on Siaka Stevens street. She will then see what all the people involved with the judicial process are up to, not just lawyers.
The issue referred to in this public notice was taking place in full view of anybody who cared even as we stood there waiting to get our colleague out of the mess that is Pademba road. This was long after the public notice had been issued. There are many lawyers around and very few people are taking cases to court now. People are prepared to “lef den case gee God”as Berewa says. Lawyers treat the few cases that come to court like a red rag to a bull.
NOTICE: "It is also alleged that some lawyers and their clients argue over consultation fees to the hearing of the general public"
TWITTER - Absolutely true! The Public Notice is too timid. These are not allegations. We are ready to stand in the dock and testify to the veracity of this statement under oath and then be cross-examined. We profoundly disagree with a lot of what High Priest Justice Cowan told his subjects recently. But we totally agree with him saying that lawyers prioritise money over service. Again, this is not restricted to Pademba road court. Let's check out the main law court building too where the CJ has her offices.
We always thought consultation fees were fixed but of course as more and more lawyers enter the profession, good bargaining becomes another vital attribute of being a successful lawyer.
NOTICE: "I am kindly appealing to those lawyers to desist from these alleged practices"
TWITTER: We note again that the Public Notice is too timid. These are not "allegations". They are facts. No lawyer will take the Principal Master and Registrar to court for defamatory libel. Let's say the facts and stand by them always.
POLICE FOOTBALL TEAM PREPARES FOR SIERRA LEONE PREMIER LEAGUE:
The RSLAF football team gave a very good account of themselves against one of the best teams in the country - FC Kallon- last weekend. Hundreds of soldiers were there. Even the GHANA-MUST-GO Minister of Defence was there making himself very visible with gun-wielding soldiers guarding the entrance to the presidential pavilion as if the president himself was around. The match ended in a 3-3 draw. Good game. The RSLAF has finally achieved what Munu's men have been trying to do for more than five years now.
That night we had a dream. In the dream Munu assembled all his senior officers to a meeting to discuss the future of the SLP's football team and how to get to the premier league and then take on the rest of Africa. He told his people they must respond to the achievements of RSLAF.
Most of the officers were stunned that Munu had chosen to discuss football despite the serious security challenges facing the country. A very bold officer stood up and told Munu to put forward his own ideas.
Then the IG replied: Let's not waste time, "we need money, a lot of it. We have to sign the best players and make them police officers". Most of the officers in the room weren't so sure that was a good idea. But Munu was adamant. He shouted, "Didn't we turn rebels into senior police officers long after the peace accord? What's wrong with turning footballers into police officers in twenty-four hours?
Munu then adjourned the meeting after receiving a call from De Pa alerting him to some "daylight robbery" that was being committed at NRA and the Banks. We shall remain in bed until the dream is complete with Munu's Marshall Plan for the prosperity of the SLP football team in the premier league. Read Twitter on Thursday.
ANOTHER MILESTONE IN ELECTION MANAGEMENT: LONG LIVE SLFA
The manoeuvring taking place with the coming SLFA leadership elections is simply extraordinary. They make even the Electoral Commissioner who denied AlhassanOuattara victory in Ivory Coast look like a saint. The trouble with the SLFA manipulation is that the whole country knows why all this is happening. It's about stopping a particular candidate from winning. For the sake of the peace and quiet of our country, can the SLFA just go on and conduct the election now, please.
The latest press release from the SLFA announcing nominations for various positions also calls on all Sierra Leoneans to petition any of the candidates they think is unsuitable for the job. This is very strange. So even those who are not members of the so-called football family can petition and eventually disqualify any candidate? How would we know that the thousands of petitions that would fly in soon were not manipulated like the whole election itself? Why not just ask the police to do a report on each candidate?
It's just like telling members of the public to write and petition candidates in a SLAJ presidential election just because they buy newspapers daily. Even the UN Secretary General position is not treated like that.
Only 47 people will decide the next SLFA executive but the stakes are so high that if we are not careful lives may be lost in this process. Politicians, corporate institutions with a hand in every pie in Sierra Leone – from national politics to Bondo Dance have all taken sides. To make matters worse, Pope John Paul has declared that there could only be one winner – his preferred choice. What is really happening to Sierra Leone? This is not how things used to be just six years ago.
© Politico 23/07/13
