By Asmieu Bah
Except for three constituencies, everybody in the country now knows their representative in parliament. The exceptions are in the eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun where petitions against the eligibility of the opposition SLPP candidates – expected to win – are being looked into before an announcement of results and declaration of winners, and in the Western Area Rural where one of the candidates died shortly before the November elections.
As things stand now, the All People’s Congress (APC), which dominated parliament in the 2007 elections, have maintained their majority and even added more seats. The opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) lost some seats mostly in Kono district and in their Kailahun stronghold where two seats slipped through them including the defeat of their party spokesman, Tamba Sam.
The People’s Movement for Democratic Change, who splintered from the SLPP and won ten seats in the 2007 House, were crushed. They won nothing. For a party that used to draw its support from the opposition heartland, all PMDC seats clawed back by the SLPP.
The November elections gave the APC 67 seats in current parliament and the SLPP 43, thereby ensuring a two-party legislature and entrenching a straight fight between the green and red corners of the House.
On 13 December 2012 the President formally opened the Fourth Session of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone. This means that the parliaments of 1996, 2002, 2007 and now 2012, total four sessions. While the first republic started in 1975 when Siaka Stevens introduced the republican constitution.
That opening of parliament, like always, was purely symbolic and a prime ceremonial function of the President.
This is the first time since we had our first multi-party elections in 1996 that parliament is composed of only two political parties. The reduction in the number of parties in our legislature has led to much tongue-wagging and people wondering what it means for a fledgling democracy like Sierra Leone which has just begun the process of democratization. The “four-for-four” euphoria generated by the campaign of the APC did pay dividend, but represents a disappointment for our democracy.
Let’s face it. Some members only won because of President Koroma’s popularity and not on their own merit or popularity. I have closely looked at the profile of some of our members of parliament - if the truth must be told - who have no business in that House. When you raise that issue their supporters and some floating sycophants will cite the late SB Marrah as a lawmaker with little education but spent decades in the House. What those people should know is that we are talking about two completely different eras. The days of SB Marrah were not faced with such contemporary issues as climate change, terrorism and economic recession. And all of these are today’s global realities that would obviously require MPs with sound academic background or intellect to be able to adequately discuss them and proffer local solutions. Informed MPs would naturally make meaningful contributions in a debate, where I am sure a high school drop-out would not have the ingenuity to adequately do so.
The last parliament had more female lawmakers than the current dispensation. While other countries were making headway in affirmative action for increased female representation in governance it is sad to note that Sierra Leone is backpedalling. Maybe it was for this reason that while the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and majority leader positions went to the male folks, the minority leader position has been occupied by a female member of parliament, Bernadette Lahai of the opposition SLPP.
The last parliament could be remembered for many things and many events too. We witnessed many walkouts as a form of protest by the opposition SLPP; a political tactic that is not unique to Sierra Leone anyway. Even in advanced democracies walkouts have been part of their political tactics to register dissent over a pending decision. The erstwhile parliament is also remembered for the passing into law of hastily debated bills that were, more often than not, not in the interest of the masses.
Like all parliaments, the present body of legislators could unmake the laws of its predecessors and make laws of its own choice. Putting into practice a principle in law that says parliament cannot bind its successors. This parliament is coming at a time when the country is planning to begin oil exploration to know whether the country’s oil mineral was up to commercial value. The legislation of laws that would govern the extraction of oil and other petroleum products in the country would be fundamental to the credibility of the current parliament. We only hope they would not pass a hastily debated bill like the Mines and Minerals Act of 2009, which Alpha Kanu, the then minister in charge, cleverly rushed through and arm-twisted MPs to pass into law.
One thing that is visible in this parliament is the presence of young people from both the APC and SLPP. I know of many MPs who are either in their early or mid-thirties. This youthful composition is an optimistic note for a poor country like Sierra Leone where the older folks only relinquish positions once the hands of death catch up with them. It now behooves these young lawmakers not to betray the trust of the electorate, but to disprove doubters that old age might be an advantage but not a pre-requisite for one’s performance.
Parliament has a huge stake in the much trumpeted ‘Agenda for Prosperity’ as it is they who would be passing bills for the executive to implement. This parliament should increase its number of oversight committees, departments and agencies more so when government resources were not being properly accounted for. And to also strengthen these committees.
We want to see ministers and heads of parastatals scrutinised in the well of parliament whenever they failed to deliver the expected goals.
Another key issue that I want this current parliament to focus on is the review of the act which created NATCOM in order to give it more powers to regulate GSM operators who, at their best, are giving us a very poor quality service. What about the passing into law of the Freedom of Information bill, whose whereabouts we don’t seem to know. The last parliament frustrated the efforts of the Sierra Leone Association Journalists and civil society by refusing to pass the bill. Haven’t we started feeling the pinch of that blunder with the just published Auditor General’s report which states that some ministries, departments and agencies have failed to provide documentary evidence about how they expended tax payers’ money? One of the best things we will remember the current parliament for is the passing into law of the FOI bill if they do pass it.
As for those MPs who think 2017 will not come to pass, let them ask Hon. Tamba Sam of the SLPP who, instead of sitting with his constituents, spent most of his time on SLBC failing to campaign to feel the pulse of his people. The day of reckoning will come no matter how long it takes.
Good luck to you all and always have in mind that the seat you occupy today was once occupied by someone else.
(C) Politico 05/02/13
Editor’s Note: Asmieu Bah is a broadcast journalist working for the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation.
