By Mabinty M. Kamara
The ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) earlier this week issued a warning to its supporters against broadcasting hate speech and incendiary comments, amidst rising political tension in the country.
The last few weeks have witnessed a torrent of viral rhetoric on social media, largely between supporters of the SLPP and its archrival the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC).
The SLPP becomes the first of the two major parties in the country to publicly warn its members against incendiary rhetoric and to distance itself from them.
In its press statement on Tuesday, August 25, the SLPP said hate speech goes against “its values” as a political party.
“We are warning all our supporters and leaders of support groups to refrain from reacting in like –manner to any form of provocation by members of the opposition,” the statement reads.
“The National Executive wishes to make it known that it condemns unequivocally and unreservedly all forms of hate and incendiary statements aimed at undermining the peace and sanity of the country and it citizens,” it adds.
The SLPP also promised a swift investigation of those who made insightful comment among its supporters, noting that it will be followed by disciplinary actions.
“The party wishes to distance itself completely from the hate speeches broadcast by some of its overzealous supporters directed at the APC or some of its members in an audio shared on social media on Monday 24th August 2020. The party will fully investigate and take stringent disciplinary actions against any of our members who is found wanting of making any incendiary or hate comment which has the tendency of causing discord in our beloved nation,” it states.
The SLPP said it has always pride itself in democratic credentials and respect for the rule of law and therefore urged its members to reflect on their party’s motto: “One Country, One People.”
Spiteful political attacks have soared in recent months with popular social media app, Whatsapp used as the medium to compose and share them around. Civil society groups have recently highlighted the role hateful messages on social media played in last months’ riot in Makeni.
The move by the SLPP now shines the spotlight on the opposition APC, to see whether they will condemn their own supporters or warn them against composing and sharing contents filled with hate speech.
President Julius Maada Bio has already called out the APC party leadership for failing to condemn incitement and hate speech by its supporters.
The APC has since denied the accusations of President Bio but have stopped short of condemning or disassociating itself from supporters that spread hate speech.
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