(ARTICLE)
By: Mohamed Jalloh
Political parties are established to shape the political will of the people. Whether in governance or in opposition, their manifesto policies are drafted to allow for sustainable development. In a democratic setting, a ruling party is immediately installed in governance after winning an election. Whiles an opposition party is expected to provide for substitute policy solutions, and not to unnecessarily strive against the ruling party to create chaos.
In a Westminster parliamentary model of governance, the opposition is the shadow government or the government in waiting. Where the ruling government tinkers in its mandate, with inaccurate State craftsmanship; it is incumbent on the opposition to provide sound alternative policies.
The opposition party must be foresighted and development oriented in calling the ruling government to order or to bring it back on track with a national focus and agenda. With the best of intentions, it is possible for a party in governance to falter in its developmental trajectory. Therefore, the opposition must be prepared and willing in the public interest to provide all-encompassing recommendations that could uplift the lives of the citizens and unlock development potentials. The norm is constructive criticism and nothing else. This must be advanced in the form of providing answers to the country`s challenges and teething problems. In the event power changes hands, the continuity feature of governance must be applied. And it must not be misconstrued to blindly continue each and every policy of the previous government. It is vital for projects, enactments and policies that are deemed to carry a national impact to be ongoing until completion.
Where an opposition is unreliable, the people suffer by way of enduring immense hardship. In Sierra Leone, the main opposition All People`s Congress (APC) is yet to accept loosing political power to the Sierra Leone people`s party (SLPP).The tantrums of the APC is characteristic of the cantankerousness of a child who is bent in creating mischief in the land.
After the defeat of the APC at the ballot box in 2018, it is yet to dawn on their consciousness that they are no longer on the driving seat. Back then, their supporters were addressed by party stalwarts at the Railway line headquarters to take to the streets and protest the results.
Their main intention as perceived from their actions speaks of a party that is hell bent in undermining national security and the presidency of Julius Maada Bio. In fact, they are still acting as if the APC party is in governance. When the 2018 elections results were announced, the erstwhile scribe Ambassador Osman Foday Yansaneh made a declaration in some media houses. Irrespective of losing the presidential elections, in his misleading statements, he said the APC has won the elections due to winning the majority of seats in the house of parliament.
The winning of majority of seats was preceded by an absurd gerrymandering which lopsided several constituencies in the northern region stronghold of the APC.
Two new districts of Falaba and Karane were established and a new region was also formed called the northwest region.
It was a premeditated and calculated plan that was devised to perpetually gift parliamentary advantage to the APC. When nine members were petitioned due to electoral malpractice and violence, the APC went haywire. They cried foul to ECOWAS and other international moral guarantors.
Some analysts have maintained that it was a form of political equalization to ensure parity of numbers in the house of parliament.
Observers of Sierra Leone politics upheld in reality that the president could be easily impeached if the opposition is allowed to carry the speaker of the house, alongside an opposition majority. In the end, nine members of the APC were booted out and immediately replaced by SLPP runners up candidates. Consequently, the APC had its say whiles the SLPP had its way. The parliamentarians and their angry supporters who lose their seats took to the streets in a disorderly and riotous manner, blocking motorways and other access routes within the Brookfields community. It takes the agility of the police to professionally restore order at the end of the day. It is clear that their objective was to create a scenario of insecurity that could undermine the executive arm of government.
In an unparalleled show of state manliness and in a spirit of reconciliation and national cohesion an olive branch which was extended to the APC through Bintumani 3 was disregarded.
The momentous event was honorably graced by foreign diplomats and the former president of Liberia Helen Johnson Sirleaf. It was vivid that president Bio was committed in forming a government of national cohesion that could compress APC members in a coalition. The intent was not geared to weaken the APC by instigating a flurry of cross carpeting. Rather, it was a genuine determination to initiate national unity and lessen the political stake that could undermine stability.
Giving that Makeni was enjoying overabundance of electricity supply, APC stakeholders were consulted and thoroughly engaged to transfer a thermal electrical plant to the country`s Lungi international Airport.
After giving a nod to the ministry of energy and power, the APC Makeni stakeholders u-turned and incited their supporters to prevent the transfer of the thermal plant.
The aftermath of the standoff with the police resulted in the fatality of three youths. The rationale of the incitement was to create an image of insecurity that could undermine national unity and peace.
When the midterm census was tabled in parliament, the proceedings were disrupted by the APC parliamentarians to the extent of destroying the document engraved with the signature of the president.
Again, it was an act that was meant to create panic and paint a picture of political instability.
The midterm census was totally ignored by the APC parliamentarians, and their supporters were ill-advised to eschew the process with disdain.
By shunning the process, it was foreseeable that the census results confirmed the highest number of residence in Bo and Kenema district who overwhelmingly participated when the process was rolled out.
Another act of mischief making by the APC is the blatant polarity smeared on the Public Elections Act 2022.
They have invoked series of legal breaches to create an illegal entanglement to prevent the passage of the bill.
Again, in a typical APC fashion, the move is geared towards creating an impression of political tension that would create bickering and polarization in the body polity. In the coming months leading to general elections on June 24th 2023, anxiety and excitement hangs in the air for all and sundry.
But, it is vital to noting that the APC would not be allowed to fiddle with the hard earned peace, stability and security of Sierra Leone which is more paramount.
