By Richmond B Tholley
A widely shared WhatsApp audio clip containing motherly invectives (mammy kuss) and authored by a current opposition Member of Parliament from Tonkolili District has left social media users with mixed feelings and shock.
On October 26th, 2023, Hon. Sorieba Alhaji Turay, a second-term lawmaker of the All People’s Congress representing the people of Constituency 051 in Tane Chiefdom created a humorous atmosphere and left others mulling over the seriousness of lawmakers in addressing lawlessness after his audio using abusive languages against the mother of another member of his party, a regional executive member of the APC party in the Northeast region went viral.
Section 97, Paragraph (a) of the 1991 Constitution says, that all members of Parliament shall maintain the dignity and image of Parliament both during the sittings in Parliament as well as in their acts and activities outside Parliament.
But in his two minutes and fifty-six seconds audio clip, Hon Tamemkor as he’s fondly called was publicly heard abusing the mother of the APC Deputy Regional Publicity Secretary Ishmael Jalloh thereby deliberately violating the said Section.
“This is an unfortunate and gross violation of the laws of the land. The MP needs to apologize,” a social media user lamented on WhatsApp.
The discussion attracted the majority of the residents who described the action of the lawmaker as unfortunate and lawless.
The altercation between the two emanated from a comment the Deputy Regional Publicity Secretary made when one of the members of the Tonkolili Parliament WhatsApp forum posted about a meeting the MP had with his constituent on the outcome of the post-election dialogue.
In his comment in the group immediately after photos of the MP’s meeting with the consistent were posted, the Deputy Publicity Secretary accused the APC MPs of being desperate all this while wanting to return to Parliament because they were careless about the suffering of the masses.
His comment came at a time when the majority of the APC grassroots were bitter with the outcome of the dialogue and thus ignited a debate in the group on that day.
No sooner than he had commented, the majority of the group members joined in the discussion, and equally, accused the APC MPs of being selfish and desperate.
Few others defended the lawmakers and praised them for being patient.
However, it came as a surprise when an audio clip of Hon Turay in an angry tone using derogatory terms and abusing Jalloh was seen shared virally.
According to the MP, he has beaten the late Thaimu Bangura for the APC party, citing some of the track records he has as a member of the party.
“You’re a small boy, and you know what some of us have done for this party. I have beaten Thaimu Bangura in Magburaka for this party, and you were not even born at the time. So, you’re a small boy. Do you think your father was the one that gave birth to this party,” the MP shouted in an angry tone.
He threatens to beat and disgrace his party comrade when next he comes to Magburaka.
In the end part of the audio, the APC MP said he wanted everybody to know he had taken the matter seriously and that he was using all sorts of insulting words and maternal invectives to tell Jalloh and everyone that he wasn’t joking anymore.
But the This Day Salone can not publish some words the MP used because they’re demeaning, unprofessional, and unethical to be used.
Though others call for the MP to apologize, he has not, and the Deputy Regional Publicity Secretary has threatened to make an official complaint to the leadership of the party.
