By: Mohamed M. Sesay
The capital city of Freetown on Tuesday the 20th of June 2023 at the last campaign for the Sierra Leone People’s Party at Lumley-Aberdeen Beach Road, converged over a one-million-man match in appreciation of President Bio’s remarkable leadership and a payback time for Free Quality Education, taking Sierra Leone to United Nations Security Council, Human Capital Development, 30% quota for Women’s Empowerment, coupled with the Big Fives promised in the 2023 Sierra Leone People’s Party Manifesto.
The over-one-million-man match was to give an indelible assurance to President Bio and SLPP that residents of the Capital City of Freetown are ready to re-elect President Bio back-back without run-off.
Consistent with his campaign messages across the country, President Bio expressed thanks and appreciation to all and sundry for the unfathomable one-million-man match by residents of Freetown.
President Bio assured that the best political Party in Sierra Leone is the Sierra Leone People’s Party adding that, it is only the SLPP Party that has the culture of development, peace and unity in Sierra Leone.
President Bio reminded me that in 2018, the citizens of Sierra Leone gave him five years mandate to serve as their leader of the SLPP and President of the nation. He added that he had scored an excellency passing mark in delivering the first social contract he entered into with the people which was embedded in the 2018 New Direction Manifesto.
He highlighted a few of the many 2018 Manifesto commitments he delivered which include but are not limited to Free Quality Education, Human Capital Development, girl child education, 30% quota for women’s empowerment among others.
President Bio assured that his aspiration is to provide political leadership geared towards protecting the interest, dignity and well-being of citizens, especially women.
He expressed elation for the one-million-man match and also, assured his supporters that he had already won the June 24th 2023 elections without run-off.
President Bio added that the avalanche of his development progress which had been felt locally and internationally is a testament to his victory in advance. President Bio noted that just two weeks before the election, he had taken the country to the United Nations Security Council after 52 years, and also the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had equally endorsed his next administration with $20 Million.
President Bio continued that he had provided unshakable protection to women in terms of seeking elective appointment positions through the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act of 2022 with a specific focus on the 30% quota. He said citizens of Sierra Leone would be voting for their children’s future supported by Free Quality Education. He said he had built the best Airport in the sub-region.
President Bio acknowledged that indeed things are difficult coupled with high prices on food commodities. He however noted that the high prices on food commodities are not only unique to Sierra Leone but a global crisis fueled by Covid-19 coupled with the Russian-Ukraine war.
“We are going to win this election without run-off. When the United Nations was looking for five Champions to discuss education at the global level, President Julius Maada Bio was the only President that was chosen for such discussion. Our education was in shambles under the APC administration and corruption was also fashionable in the APC regime. So, the APC is not good for themselves and for the country”, he said.
President Bio also encouraged all to come out in their numbers on June 24th to make his re-election a Priority.
President Bio concluded with an indelible assurance that he would make tremendous consolidation in his next government, especially on the gains his administration made in the last five years. He said the 2023 People’s Manifesto, is indeed a game changer for Sierra Leone especially when he would have implemented the Big Fives in the Manifesto, especially the Feed Sierra Leone Project through massive agricultural activities among others.