By Septimus Senessie in Kono.
Fiama Chiefdom in Kono District has officially inaugurated 62 village headmen, town and section chiefs at their chiefdom headquarter town of Njegbwema.
It followed a highly-contested election for sub-chiefs in the chiefdom.
Sia Abu Nanoh won as town chief of Bandasuma after she had first won a petition against her by one of her brothers with Fiama now boasting of having two female town chiefs for the first time despite customs and traditions which frown on women becoming chiefs.
Paramount chief Sahr Yongai Kontande Mbriwa II said he was impressed with the whole election process in his chiefdom, adding that for the first time his chiefs - both old and new - were officially inaugurated with identity cards.
He said chieftaincy in the country had undergone so much transformation from the 1963 Chief Council Acts to the current Chiefs of Sierra Leone Code of Ethics and Service Standard, 2013.
Making frequent references to and describing the Chiefs of Sierra Leone Code of Ethics and Service Standard, 2013 as the “Holy Bible and Quran for chiefs in the country,” P.C. Mbriwa II explained in detail the roles and responsibilities of chiefs. He said the code of conduct for chiefs in Sierra Leone meant that “chiefs must be seen as examples, apolitical, corruption-free, accountable, neutral and respecter of the laws governing the country.”
He warned the newly-inaugurated chiefs against compromising human rights offences against children and women, especially those dealing with rape and sexual offences in their various communities.
He added that any chief found wanting for such crimes would lose their position and be brought to book.
The new Senior District Officer (SDO) to Kono District, Ibrahim Bockarie Saffa Kalleh thanked the paramount chief for “upholding the tenets and principles of democracy" in his chiefdom, noting that such a practice would strengthen good governance and promote democracy in the chiefdom and district as a whole.
The SDO reminded the chiefs of their primary roles as custodians of the land, customs and traditions, and urged them to promote democracy in their localities. He called for mutual respect between the chiefs and their subjects.
Earlier, the District Coordinator of women's advocacy group, 50/50, Sia Elizabeth Tongu, said she was impressed with Fiama Chiefdom for having female chiefs which she said was unthinkable in the past. He noted that development at chiefdom level would be enhanced with women representation in chiefdom councils.
She saluted the chiefdom authorities for having female chiefs and urged them to remain steadfast saying the beginning of a thousand mile- journey had just started.
She admonished the two women chiefs to prove themselves worthy of their positions by showing their male counterparts that "women can do better than them [the men].”
(C) Politico 03/06/14
