By: Saidu Jalloh (Intern)
Yesterday, 11th September 2023, Sierra Leoneans have raised concerns over the illegal protest of some disgruntled Sierra Leoneans within the capital and beyond.
This is as a result of the rapid soar of basic commodities in the country which has affected every sector in the country.
In a vox pop conducted with people from various works of life expressed their utmost concerns about the handling of protest in Sierra Leone.
Foday Marrah, a driver plying from Bombay Junction to Waterloo said, “Basic commodities are very difficult in the country but that will not cause him to intervene in any form of protest whether to jump in street or seat at home because there are laws to follow if any organization deem fit. Our union has made it clear to us that we should not participate in any protest so that was what motivates me to come out and drive my ‘Poda Poda’ (Mini bus).”
Ibrahim, a Bike rider said that he didn’t see the demonstration as an idle and it was not only Sierra Leone that was suffering from the increased in fuel prices and the high cost of living. “We know it is difficult for us as Bike Riders to get our survival because there are so many restrictions given to us this September by the police not to run our Bikes in the Central Business District (CBD) because this is where we get huge sum of our money. I am encouraging my colleagues to come out and do their business and not to engage in any demonstrations,” he added.
A Keke Rider, Musa Koroma said that he was disappointed on how the government is handling protests in this country. Sometimes they had to give people chance to demonstrate and express their concern and not to act tough. “Police should learn in how to manage protest and assure people of their safety, this is a democratic state and demonstration should be allowed,” Musa explained.
Chernor Barrie, a shop owner at Kissy Road said that he was afraid to open his shop not because he wanted to take part in the demonstration but the fear of him being attack or his shop being looted by protesters that is the reason he didn’t open his shop but he was around observing the situation and promised to open at 12 pm if nothing happened or the planned protest didn’t occur. “My shop is closed for now but I will open it in the afternoon if any protest does not occur because this is where I get my living. Things are hard, seating at home will make it harder for me because I have family to cater for.”
Mr. Kabbia, deputy head teacher at the Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood Primary School (SLMB) Crocked Lane, Easton Street, east-end of Freetown, explained that there was a very low turnout of pupil in school yesterday. Many parents didn’t send their kids to school because of the planned protest rumor. Kabbia said “as you can see there are no kids here to teach but we have to do our duty as a teacher to come to school despite the situation at hand. This is our job we have been paid to do our work, so we are not going to listen to any social media rumors unless it is coming from the government and that will give us the leverage to seat at home.”
Adama Conteh, a trader at Dove Cut Market said that she was scared to come to the market to do her business but she has no choice but to come outside. The only thing I did was to stop my kids from going to school that day but as their mother, I had to come and cater for them because I didn’t want anything to happen to them going to school on that day because there was so much fear and the street was empty. “I have lost my husband two years ago, so I’m the bread winner of my family. I am not happy about the way things are going in the country, government has to find a way to solve this rapid increase in food prices because at this point I am only fighting for what I can eat because it is difficult to save money as the price of everything has gone up 100 %,” Adama said.
Musu, a street trader at Abacha Street said that the street was empty on that day and she couldn’t do any business that day because Abacha Street was a ghost town on that day. I had wanted to take my business out but there were no one at the street to buy so I had to seat and watch the empty street and the police officers parading. She explained “government must do something to curb the high cost of living in the country because this is the reason for the various protests around the country.”