By Alpha Abu
Two of the nine men who protested and withdrew from contesting in the Sambaia chieftaincy election in the Tonkolili district have expressed to Politico their reservations over the entire process in which a serving Member of Parliament Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray was elected as chief on 3 June 2021.
One of the men, Fimanalie Sheku Jalloh said all they want is for President Julius Maada Bio to intervene to end the fallout from the disputed election. He said 13 men in all declared their intention to contest in the chieftaincy polls but along the way, 3 were disqualified. He said their protestations from day one centered over the decision by the MP to throw his hat into the ring, even though he claimed they do not see the new traditional ruler as part of any of the ruling families in the chiefdom, entitled to seek the chieftaincy.
He claimed that the new chief has no lineage to the office and said the decision by the Provincial Secretary (PS) North, Simeon Fatoma to approve that the election went ahead even when there was a high court injunction that would have seen the matter presided over by Justice S.O. Taylor on 4 June 2021, was totally unacceptable.
Another aspirant, Sama Kulio Jalloh who is the son of late Paramount Chief Alimamy Kulio Jalloh II and from the Mbaimba ruling house explained how the PS overruled and ensured the election went ahead, a day, before the pending high court hearing on the matter. He explained how they have engaged the Minister of Local Government Tamba Lamina and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Thomas B Lansana who granted them audience, though the election eventually took place. He said many of the traditional authorities who would have taken part in the election stayed away in protest and that only handpicked persons endorsed the present chief in an election that he was the only candidate. He said they all view the process as flawed and not reflective of the wishes of the majority of the people of Bendugu town, and the entire Sambaia chiefdom.
Edmond Abu the Executive Director of Native Consortium that has been closely following the matter, told Politico they are concerned about the contravention of the court injunction. He said people should take note of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and avoid breeding discontent. He called for dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the chieftaincy issue in the district.
Chief Kulio Jalloh II who died on June 2017 at the age of 95, ruled for 44 years. Since his death, two Regent Chiefs had at various times served in that stead, until the ascendancy this month of the newly crowned chief.
Copyright (c) Politico Online 2021
