By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema
A Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) meeting held last Sunday in Kenema ended in bloodshed. Several party members were beating and wounded.
The party members were in a meeting to turn the sod for the construction of its regional office when a group, described by the party`s Publicity Secretary in the Kenema district as disgruntled, arrived and allegedly disrupted the gathering. Brima Dawson Kuyateh said the group was headed by a party executive member in the district named as Adama Kallon.
The police fired teargas canisters to disperse the rioters.
Kuyateh accused the attackers of being of no good to the development of the party.
Some of the attackers sustained bodily injuries and have been given police medical examination papers, which were seen by Politico.
Despite the incident, however, the publicity secretary described the meeting as successful as it was characterised by a lot of pledges made by party stakeholders.
Rex Bonafa, a party member, said there had been several attempts by the SLPP to secure a permanent place for an office but that it had not been possible because of some unexplained reasons. He said the construction of the office was the handwork of the mayor of Kenema Joseph Samba Keifala, who he said had made the promise during campaign period for his election to ensure the party moved out of a rented building.
Bonafa said the eastern region is the strong hold of the SLPP and so there was every need for it to move from a rented building to one that befitted the reputation of the party in the region.
SLPP Secretary General Prince Harding commended Mayor Keifala for the initiative. He called on party members to emulate his “good work” so that the party will progress.
Mr Harding also expressed appreciation for the good work of the district and regional executives, encouraging them further to continue on that path.
Dr. Kadie Sesay, former running mate of the Brigadier (rtd) Julius Maada Bio in the 2012 elections, was also present and she encouraged party members to be law abiding and peaceful. She said the SLPP was one family and that members should have love for one another.
Dr Sesay also praised Mayor Keifala for the initiative and pledged the party`s commitment in ensuring that the regional office construction was completed.
When contacted, the alleged mastermind of the fracas, Adama Kallon who happens to be SLPP chairperson in Constituency 10 (Kenema), confirmed she was at the meeting but on invitation as a party member. She said some unnamed youths accused her and her group of being spies. The accusation, she added, degenerated into bitter argument and then the youths allegedly attacked them.
Adama said she had no intention of disrupting the meeting since it was in the interest of the party.
“I was beaten and sustained wounds all over my body,” she told Politico, adding that she and other party members attacked narrowly escaped death.
Sunday`s incidence is being viewed as extension of the ongoing rivalry within the main opposition party, pitching supporters of Maada Bio and John Benjamin, former SLPP national chairman.
Adama Kallon is thought to be supporting Benjamin while those behind the construction project as seen as Bio supporters.
© Politico 03/02/15
