By Ibraheem Daramy
The hand that raised your banner during the campaign still believes in your plans, probably the very hand that trusted you more than it should have. This also reminds me of what the Reggae Legend Lucky Dube said in his song, The Way It Is. He said, “now that you’ve got what you wanted, you don’t even know my name.” And he went even further to say, “be good to the people on your way up the ladder ‘coz you’ll need them on your way down.”
The nation of Sierra Leone has brought out the country’s finest parliamentary debaters from both the ruling SLPP and the opposition APC, eloquently making a case for themselves. The exchanges centre around some key electoral constitutional amendments. But the deeper the discussions got, the more belligerent the sides became. It was therefore no surprise when the Honourable Speaker of Parliament had to ask two (2) MPs to take leave of the proceedings. They’d crossed the line.
On the penultimate day set aside for the high stakes vote slated for the 10th August, 2026, the President of the Republic, Julius Maada Bio, addressed the nation, specifically to rally his troops for a final onslaught. On the other hand, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Honourable Abdul Kargbo, would have none of it. So he took another route, using his social media platforms to call on the people to stay glued to their Creator and offer prayers.
As for His Excellency the President, his critics described his involvement as a desperate attempt to get a vote. And for the head of the opposition, just as I do five times daily, I’ll be in the mosque to offer my mandatory prayers, with no connection whatsoever to your call. As a matter of fact, we did not pray ourselves into poverty, and neither are we going to pray our way out of it.
Honourable Peter Yamba Koroma from Bombali District was so bullish when he said the ruling SLPP is not going to get the votes required for the notable constitutional amendments, even if only two (2) of his party members turned up in the House, he concluded. However, Abdul Kareem Bangura of the ruling SLPP from Karene District didn’t give much away; he spoke with caution. Which would suggest they might end up making some compromises.
They both dug their heels in on PR and FPTP; there was no chance they would cede an inch of territory. But in politics, never say never.
With the way the President is sounding these days, it’s comforting to suggest he’s toning down the rhetoric. Maybe he’s beginning to come to terms with the realities of power, it’s transient.
Mr President, please take note of the following. You’ve still got some time left to reflect on what and where you could have done a lot better.
A nation shines brighter when the leaders hear what people say. Do not forget the promise you made before the crowd. The voice of the people can lift a nation high. A listening ear calms the storm. The strength of a nation is not gold or fame, but how leaders answer when the people call their names.
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