By Mabinty Magdalene Kamara
The Alliance of All Aspirants (AAA) within the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) has expressed concern over the continued violence that has persisted in the party in the past three years.
The AAA officials said at a press conference on Monday that the issue warranted immediate attention and redress if the party can make it at the general elections expected in 2018. Their call was prompted by the recent killing of an SLPP supporter in intra-party clashes in Kenema. They are urging the police to rapidly investigate that incident and prosecute those responsible.
The AAA is a group of 12 presidential aspirants who are seeking to lead the party in the 2018 polls. They came together in the face of widespread division within the party. The 2012 SLPP Presidential candidate, Julius Maada Bio, is not part of the group.
On Monday members of the alliance pointed accusing fingers at the former junta leader for the recurrence of violence within the party. They said repeated attacks against party supporters and leaders have been committed by people known to be loyal to him.
One of the aspirants, Jonathan Tengbeh, told press men that the disagreement in the party was not only limited to the country but that it had extended further to the party’s branches in the Diaspora. He cited an example of the United Kingdom-Ireland branch of the party where two different executives currently exist.
“It is an open secret that in the SLPP we are not as united as we are supposed to be. A lot of issues have happened in our party but I just want to inform you that this has gone beyond the boundaries of Sierra Leone,” he said.
His colleague, Alpha Timbo, listed a number of people in the party’s hierarchy who had suffered violence, allegedly in the hands of supporters of Bio.
“The Former secretary general for the young generation, Mr. Jayah, who happens to be a supporter of our brother Andrew Keili, was brutally wounded by one of the security guards of Maada Bio right in front of us. Kandeh Yumkella’s mother was molested in the party office… John Karimu, right at the precepts of the law office, was also almost wounded by the supporters of Maada Bio. These are some of the instances of violence that have been going on in the party and fingers have persistently been pointed at one person; that person has to be concerned about the future and stability of the party,” Timbo said.
Bio has always denied accusations of violence associated with him. As recent as last week, he was again on the spotlight after reports that his supporter was responsible for the murder of a supporter of John Oponjo Benjamin.
Bio, while condemning the killing of Daddy George, told Politico that he was a man of peace and that he believed in a peaceful democratic competition.
But this has not deterred his fellow aspirants from accusing him of violence. Timbo notably remarked that it had been a routine for people to put out press releases to disassociate themselves from or condemn violence, yet nothing serious was done to address the issues.
“That is why this alliance has been formed, to ensure that we put a stop to all these acts of violence in the party,” he said.
Kandeh Yumkella, who is considered as the main front runner alongside Maada Bio, recalled in an interview with Politico on the sidelines of Monday’s press conference held at the SLAJ headquarters in Freetown that he and other members of the alliance had been stopped from entering the premises of the party office when they went to attend a meeting last weekend.
“On the fourth of June, we were invited at the meeting of the national executive committee which happens to be one of the highest policy making organ of the party. We are not members, so you only go there by invitation and we were invited by the chairman of the committee. Unfortunately, we were not even allowed to enter the compound,” he said.
Many party officials have complained in the past about the “siege” the party offices was under by alleged supporters of Bio.
The alliance members are urging the police and other law enforcement bodies to deal swiftly with the killing of Daddy George.
“We however hope that this dastardly killing will compel the Sierra Leone police to investigate [it] thoroughly and impartially and bring not only the perpetrators but also instigators, including financial sponsors, to book ,” a press release issued by the alliance reads in part.
(C) Politico 07/06/16
