BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
The Clerk of the Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone Hon. Dr. Paran Umar Tarawally, has on Tuesday the 5th of April 2022, administered oath of office to two newly elected Members of Parliament as enshrined in the 19991 constitution.
The two Members of Parliament Hon. Hawa Rosaline Siaffa of the Sierra Leone People’s Party was the one who emerged victorious in the recent By-Elections conducted in the Kailahun District, and Hon. Issa Oye Koroma was the one who became victorious in the (Koya) Portloko District By-Election.
In his welcoming statement, the Leader of the opposition Hon. Chernor Maju Bah felt extremely elated particularly for the newly elected Female Member of Parliament. He therefore, encouraged all female folks to be bold enough in showing interest of such positions. He also advised the men not to intimidate female but rather give them the required space to take part in governance.
Hon. Bah further intimated that their New Member of Parliament Hon. Issa Oye Koroma is a grass-root politician who hobnobs even with people from other political party.
“Mr. Speaker, like Hon. Siaffa, Hon. Oye also cut across political boundaries in his constituency. He has friends from all sides whether you are SLPP, PMDC NGC”, he said.
He admonished the newly inducted Members of Parliament that they belong to political parties but the oath they have taken, obliged them to have their loyalty and allegiance to the Republic of Sierra Leone. He encouraged the Members of Parliament not to mortgage that loyalty. He concluded by also encouraging the newly elected Members of Parliament to debate and challenge any issue that is in the national interest.
The Acting Leader of Government Business Hon. Bashiru Silikie disclosed that when New Members of Parliament are sworn-in, their constituents celebrate them but few months down the line, the very constituents castigate them. He explained that the role of Members of Parliament is not for primary development but rather for law making.
He added that before the establishment of Local Councils, Members of Parliament were responsible for Primary Development in the country. Hon. Silikie equally admonished their various constituents that their mandate is to make law.
On his part, the Speaker of Parliament Hon. Dr. Abass Bundu acknowledged that the House of Parliament displayed an exemplary show of Unity in diversity by the way they welcome the two Members of Parliament. He added that for him to see Members of Parliament come up and teamed together in welcoming their new members, is a very remarkable one.
Hon. Dr. Abass Bundu furthered that such particular display of unity signals in the world that indeed, Sierra Leone Parliament is full of one people with one country. He noted that they have admitted one man and one woman in the House of Parliament of which such as being a global call for equitable representation in the House of Parliament. He concluded by welcoming the new Members of Parliament and also referencing the Government whitepaper which speaks for proportional representation in the House of Parliament.
