Somano Kapen
The Chairman and Leader of the main opposition SLPP party has described as a "palace coup" the decision by a meeting of some members of the party to suspend him and the party's Secretary General.
Chief Somano Kapen told Politico that the meeting "convened by a group of so-called grassroots members was unconstitutional hence not bothered by its outcome".
Asked why they would want him and Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie out of the executive, the chief said "they want me to clearly come out to declare for [Julius Maada] Bio" for re-nomination as party flag-bearer something he said he did wish to do. "As leader of the party I have to create a level playing field for all within the party and to build blocks" he said.
Asked why he was standing up to the Bio sentiment after what he did to get him elected, Kapen said the former flag-bearer "did not do anything substantial to influence my election".
The party deputy leader, Dr. Prince Alex Harding who's accused of masterminding the suspension of the officials, said the call came from the four regional chairmen, the young generation and student groups "who are disillusioned with the type of leadership Chief Somano and the Secretary General are providing for the party".
He said it is "something like a grassroots revolution in the party" in reaction to Chief Somano's "dictatorial tendencies which led him to reject the legal advice of the party's elected lawyer" on the position of regional executives. He said that by his decision to order the removal of certain officials from their positions, Somano Kapen effectively overturned the decision of the National Executive Committee of the party.
Dr Harding said the party chairman "doesn't consult other executive members" and that on his watch the SLPP was fast losing its edge as the main opposition party holding the government to account on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone. He said the National Executive Committee would meet soon to consider the action of the grassroots members of the party.
(C) Politico 19/06/14
