I am much divided in my mind as to whether I should keep to my promise of last week or devote this week’s letter to the voter’s registration exercise that started on Monday 23rd January.
That fact that the long knife of the President was used this week should have encouraged me to keep my promise but I pray you will understand and put me in your debt about my view on this issue – we will definitely talk about it next week. The Presidential knife did not cut as deep as was expected by the public. Either the knife is dull or it was a nervous hand that cut the energy cake on Tuesday afternoon.
I don’t know quite what I feel about the failings of the registration process so far, my darling wife thinks I am being very unfair. However, I know what I felt when I heard one of the commissioners speaking on Radio Democracy Wednesday morning; a former colleague at Channel 4 in London would have called it extempore.
I will stop short of naming the commissioner, suffice to say, from what I have gathered since Monday, any of the commissioners could have extempore, when confronted with the failings of the National Electoral Commission. After all this is Sierra Leone, government ministers, officials and even party officials are free to do what they like, say what they like and dare you to challenge or question their action or statement.
We the ordinary, suffering and neglected citizens of Mother Sierra Leone are not “patriotic” enough, or know what is best for the country.
The registration has started, the computers and other equipments have been provided, shut up, read the newspapers or use your mobile phone, (even if you can’t read or have a mobile phone), to find out your registration centre, and GO AND REGISTER!!! Do you have a problem with that? After all, the National Electoral Commission is not the only institution in Sierra Leone that is not efficient.
Considering the time and money people spend especially in churches, I am tempted to question whether the God that Sierra Leoneans pray and worship so much with noise is the same God that created the average European, who spend less time praying, work more, save more, challenge their governments and other public institutions and are even generous to us, who pray every minute of our lives, asking God for forgiveness of our sinful ways, for money, for “a good husband,” (without asking yourself if you are good enough for a good husband) and for prosperity, without hard work and sacrifice on your part.
Please forgive me; and don’t pray for me. I have a very personal relationship with my God. I asked the question because we are so different; not for the better. Travelling around Kaffu Bullom this week, and listening to politicians and their supporters talking this week led me into the temptation of asking whether there is a different God to the one the White man prays to.
Imagine you are living somewhere in Europe and the biometric process is being introduced for the first time for voters to vote in the national elections that will determine who will be governing the country for the next five years, and there are reports of problems with the data machines or computers, and that people were unable to register.
The Press would go hay-wire and not on party lines; parliamentarians would have demanded explanations and answers and the Electoral Commissioners would be lucky if they keep their jobs. Yet, in Sierra Leone, we found ourselves listening to an Electoral Commissioner defending inefficiency in a process for elections that in my view are just as crucial as the one we had in 1996.
What we are practicing now in Sierra Leone is “Transitional politics” from war to peace and in 2007 a trouble-free transfer of power to another political party without any serious conflict. The future of Mother Sierra Leone and the relationship between the All Peoples’ Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP) is of vital importance to every Sierra Leonean.
Each of us would be affected if the transitional period is allowed to take the wrong road. I firmly believe that it is in everyone’s best interest that the National Electoral Commission design, construct and manage a well- defined election process that will not bring their work into disrepute and more importantly, maintain a peaceful transition whether within the APC or within the SLPP or from APC to SLPP, as President Tejan Kabbah did in 2007, when he handed over power to Ernest Bai Koroma, against the wishes of many.
For now Mr. President, President Kabbah has the moral high ground. He presided over a fairly violence free elections which brought you to power.
It is no secret that the people of this country still loves President Koroma, but that they are not very fond of most of his government ministers and others either working in the government or for the APC. So don’t fool yourself that the APC will govern Sierra Leone forever, it is not possible. Yes, not possible any more. Indeed, if anything, history has taught us that there is always an end.
The APC family and their friends and supporters, seems to have forgotten that the SLPP were like that not too long ago. Arrogance, and a government with a face of denial about the state of affairs in the country and political bigotry. The APC road constructions, patchy electricity and foreign investors were the SLPP peace process, disarmaments, rehabilitation and reconciliation and the large UN security force has been replaced with the foreign investors.
On the other side of the coin was the quiet battle between President Kabbah and the International community. Does Michael Schulemberg come to mind …The suspicions, the doubts and of course the Press attacks. A BO UNA FORGET QUICK OH!!!
Mr. President take note; the APC rule will come to an end one day, and it is possible that by that time you would have long retired from politics. Today many of your supporters are fooling themselves about how long the APC can govern Mother Sierra Leone. Yes, you have been brilliant about the infrastructural development, the health care (and I hope more can be done), and of course your panache when it comes to attracting foreign investments.
But while all of these could be a bright light at the end of the tunnel for Mother Sierra Leone’s well-being that same light could just be the train with more goodies coming but this time, to crush the APC whilst delivering the goodies. It happened recently in Zambia …
Few politicians ever get the chance to reshape societies at a time of fracture. Oh yes, everyone can’t love you; you are not in politics to be loved, you are in politics to change the lives of people for the better. The SLPP found out the hard way, and as I sit here this morning, with no light, and no water, like thousands of my fellow country men and women, I know you are battling to reshape Mother Sierra Leone, with half empty coffers, mostly half-hearted and uncommitted but greedy people, pushing your “Agenda for Change” policy.
I see no signs that you have the imagination to reshape Sierra Leone.
Rebuilding Sierra Leone is one thing, but the peoples’ thoughts or way of thinking, their approach to work, and those around them, respect for the rule of law, the services the State provides, the products and services from the private sector, the conduct of government ministers, civil servants, police, the courts, the schools and of course the hospitals all need to be reshaped for a better Mother Sierra Leone. Any better imagination Mr. President before the train gets to the station?
By Winston Ojukutu-Macaulay Jnr.