By Alpha Abu
President Julius Maada Bio has put to rest the much debated issue of his running mate in the June 24th Elections after he announced to an ecstatic crowd of ruling party supporters that he will seek his re-election bid with Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh alongside him.
Some were so overwhelmed with emotion yesterday and literally cried at the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) closing session of a two-day Delegates Conference at Bintumani Hotel in the West of Freetown.
It took several minutes for the podium to be cleared of throngs of party stalwarts who had swarmed it in jubilatory mood, practically ending the president’s announcement at that point.
An elderly woman named Mabinty told Politico they were thrilled over the confirmation of Dr. Juldeh whom she described as a very humble and trusted ally of President Bio.
Dr. Juldeh in his short speech thanked the president for the confidence reposed in him again.
Born in Kono district eastern Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh was appointed running mate for the Sierra Leone People’s party in the 2018 general elections which took the Party to State House and led the country for five years.
Juldeh reappointment brings yesterday ended many speculations of him being removed and replaced with another running mate to join Bio lead the party to the June 2023 elections.
The President in a recent Tweeter Post commended his vice president for being supportive of his government.
He described him as a dependable ally and a fitting embodiment of loyalty and consistency. "Walking side-by-side, we can and will do more for our great country," he noted.
Some saw the tweet at the time as thinly-veiled indication of Bio endorsing his VP again.
Dr. Jalloh started his professional career in the United Nations in March 2000 working as a Programme Officer at the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Until recently, he worked as a Senior Advisor at the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). His extensive experience allowed him to provide strategic advice in overseeing the efficient functioning of the offices and pillar of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General who also served as the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator.
Dr. Jalloh also supported the Algerian led mediation process of the Malian crisis. While at the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) and the Sahel in Senegal, he served as the Sahel Advisor to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for West Africa and the Sahel.
In that capacity, he co-lead the elaboration of the United Nations Strategy on the Sahel, and worked closely with the Peace and Security architecture of ECOWAS, the African Union-led Nouakchott process and later the G5 Sahel and several international NGO’s active in security and governance issues.
During his work as West African Analyst for the International Crisis Group, Dr. Jalloh covered Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau. Among others, he was responsible for writing renowned policy reports and articles on these countries and undertook numerous advocacy trips in several countries in Europe and Africa including at the ECOWAS, African Union and the European Union in Brussels.
He brings with him over 15 years of professional experience in development and governance work.
Copyright © 2023 Politico Online (10/02/23)
