By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The Assistant Inspector General of Police East, Mustapha Solomon Kambel has sent a strong warning to senior members of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) ahead of chiefdom, constituency and district elections in Kenema.
Addressing a cross section of district and regional executives of the ruling SLPP, the Police commander disclosed that all elections that involve more than ten people demand security consideration. The officer said as head of internal security in that part of the country, he has the responsibility to provide security and ensure the elections are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.
He advised the leadership of the SLPP to make sure the elections are held without any acts of violence. The officer said the Police can assess threats and risks surrounding events that could undermine state security and therefore urged the senior leadership of the party to see themselves as one people within the same political family during the elections.
AIG Kambel insisted that the Police during polling will not take any instruction from Politicians except the Inspector General of Police who is in charge of all internal security.
He admonished the party members to act within the ambit of the law, saying any attempt to breach the peace in the region will be met with an adequate response. The officer therefore advised the leadership of the party within the district and the region to warn their supporters to refrain from any lawlessness, vowing to treat any offender individually.
In his statement, the regional chairman of SLPP and the deputy Minister of Works, Philip Tetema Tondoneh told the gathering that his mandate is to monitor and supervise the conduct of all the elections both at district and regional levels to ensure that the elections went on peacefully. He maintained that the leadership of the party has demonstrated democratic spirit in the country and that members and supporters should copy that including the good leadership of the President who has showed clearly that he is a democrat that is focused on transforming the county.
He stated that the two districts of Kailahun and Kono have done their own district executive elections successfully, and that the regional headquarter which is Kenema is expected to serve as example to the other two sister districts.
‘’I want to plead to the membership and supporters of SLPP to emulate the good examples demonstrated by Kailahun and Kono districts’’, said Tondoneh. He called on the Kenema district party chairman to control party supporters especially during the peak of voting when emotions were bound to run high.
Copies of the delegates’ list and the code of conduct of the elections were handed over to the regional secretary of the party Omaru Vandi Kondorvoh for harmonization. The incumbent district chairman Moriba Koroma pledged his commitment to a peaceful polling, with his challenger Anthony Fonnie also making a similar commitment.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (06/09/21)
