By Mohamed Vandi
The Kenema District Chairman of the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party Friday 19October disclosed that the huge crowd” that turned out for his party's rally in the eastern headquarters was “a living testimony” that his party still maintained its stronghold. Arthur Koroma said Kenema “will ever remain the SLPP stronghold” and assured that the district would record the highest votes for his party's candidate, Julius Maada Bio come November 17. He said the people of Kenema believed that Bio was worthy of the presidency and that nobody would succeed in “lying to them with the aim of diverting their political allegiance from the SLPP”. He accused the governing APC party of polarising the country along tribal lines, and of ruining the country's economy in the five years they have been in power. The SLPP district chairman alleged that there was deep-seated tribalism in the Kenema police, citing the Assistant Inspector General of Police, The Local Unit Commander, the District Traffic Office Inspector, the Officers in Charge of the CID and the OSD. He said the fact that thousands of people had turned out to welcome the opposition leader was testament to the fact that the APC had “failed the people in every facet of life”. “We are more than determined to vote for the SLPP this time, especially when our people themselves have realized the poor performance of the APC”. At the Kenema Town Field the SLPP flag bearer Brigadier Maada Bio admonished the crowd to be violence-free, remain focused and vote wisely for the New Direction. The thousands of supporters started the rally at Bandama checkpoint where Bio was welcomed and went through the principals streets of Kenema to the town field where statements were made. The rally passed off peacefully and well policed.
