By Umaru Fofana
Sierra Leone’s second city of Bo is very unique in the political activism and social consciousness of Sierra Leone; in as much the same way as Makeni – the Chicago of the country – is exceptional for its political tolerance. In the case of Bo it is a laurel achieved by a city in a country where the pattern of voting in almost every other city is as predictable as death. And in the case of Makeni it is an accomplishment by a city in a country where political intolerance is at such a height that even a ram can lock horns with a hornless ewe.
While I will delve in to the situation of Makeni in my next piece, I would like to look at how that enviable standing of Bo makes it such an unpredictable place for any political party to beat its chest over dominance in the area despite being often classified as a stronghold of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party. It may not be stricto senso a swing city, in electoral terms, but it certainly cannot be taken for granted. After all it is the most cosmopolitan place in the country, outside Freetown. If Sierra Leone’s electoral system were by proportional representation, it would return a good percentage of APC people to the city’s council, perhaps more than any other major town or city would.
Notwithstanding the first-past-the-post system we practice, there may be problems for the SLPP in the city if they do not handle the ongoing symbol allocation conundrum facing them with sensibility and sensitivity.
Now, there are five people gunning to become Mayor of Bo city under the banner of the SLPP. They include a woman. But the contest, clearly, seems to be between Aggray Aruna a former executive member of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) – an offshoot of the SLPP – and perhaps any other of the four especially Harold Tucker.
Those supporting Aggray argue that no native of the town of Bo has ever been elected Mayor in their lifetime. Dr Wusu Sannoh the outgoing mayor, whose meritorious service has been acknowledged by even opposition members in the city, is not from Bo. As far as they are concerned this is akin to Freetown never having a Creole as its mayor.
Such is the intensity of the scramble that, I understand, even some chiefs in Bo who should otherwise have no business in partisan politics, overtly or covertly, are insisting that Aggray be the mayoral candidate of Bo because he is a Kakua Boy. As someone who argues that Creoles should be allowed what I believe is their rightful place to serve as Mayor of Freetown, perhaps that argument looks compelling to me.
But there is the other side of the argument. Many see Bo as a Big Brother to the rest of the south than Kenema is to the east or even Makeni is to the north. Hence the argument that it needs to show that in the way it leads and in the way it is led. Sacrifice. The city is too cosmopolitan for any argument to hold for indigenisation of its mayor-ship. That also sounds like another compelling argument.
Those who are opposed to Aggray even question his eligibility to be awarded the party’s symbol. They cite a provision in the party’s constitution which lays, as one of its criteria to be awarded a party symbol, the fact that an aspirant must have been a fully paid-up member of the party for twelve unbroken months. Aggray returned less than one year ago to the party in what is seen as the return of the prodigal son. But should a prodigal son not be given concessions since the party’s constitution also says that special considerations could be considered for certain aspirants? I am just asking.
Now, even though executive members of the PMDC that I have spoken to have denied this, it is believed that the party has some axe to grind with Aggray. Such an axe has been made sharper by the fact that talks between the PMDC and the SLPP have been ongoing. Some members of the party have threatened, therefore, that if Aggray who they say spited their leader Charles Margai, were to be awarded a symbol to run for mayor of Bo, those talks would collapse.
Aggray’s supporters believe he is hugely popular in Bo. His distracters believe that to be “nonsense” saying that when he rejoined the party the huge crowd that followed him to the party office were supporters of the SLPP. Pretty much like Usu Boie’s crowd that went with him to the APC headquarters when he crossed the political carpet or declared for his former arch rivals.
To further complicate an already complex political conundrum for the SLPP Alie Catisco Sesay is the favourite to run for the ruling APC party. He is obviously not the favourite to win the seat should he get awarded the symbol. But here is the catch. Rev Shodenkeh Johnson of the PMDC, who came a distant second in 2008, is in contention again this year. I have spoken to some APC big hitters who say they are also trying to court him to bear their flag. Clearly the marriage between the APC and the PMDC has foundered and the couple are now divorced in all but name. However, if the PMDC feel slighted by the SLPP should they award Aggray a symbol, the saying “your enemy’s enemy is your friend” could just hold. Should that happen, an alliance between APC and PMDC in Bo cannot be ruled out and it may cost the SLPP the mayoral seat in an area regarded as their stronghold.
In a country where every cough and spittle is counted if only to split hair and score sometimes cheap political points, this is a time of reckoning for both the APC and the SLPP. There are some members of the SLPP who have vowed that should the argument that Aggray be awarded a symbol on the basis that he is a Kakua Boy be forced through, they will vote against him and the party because they say that alienates those Bo people who are not Kakuarites. They agree such a consideration may be desirable but must not be made a precondition as Bo is a pot pourri. And the Kakua elders are hell bent on having him.
This looks like a catch 22 for a party which, until the advent of the PMDC would go to bed and win any election in Bo. With the APC lurking in the dark, and as a party that seems to have more internal discipline never mind the method, Catisco may just step down for Rev Johnson whose partnership may cost the SLPP regardless of who ends up being awarded their symbol. It is a dilemma for a party which has a lot of assignments in a lot of places between now and 17 November. Should the SLPP lose the mayoral seat in Bo the party may well likely disintegrate to rise no earlier than a generation. A delicate balancing act is required by them and a delicate surgical operation by the APC who are waiting in the wings. Interesting times await us.
