By Saio Marrah
The Speaker of Parliament Dr. Abass Bundu has condemned the riotous conduct of members of Parliament in a convened session at the Freetown International Conference centre and said it was unfortunate and thoroughly dishonorable
Speaking at a press conference held immediately after the parliamentary sitting that was disrupted by violence on Monday 19th April, 2021, he described the scene in the well as “most unfortunate” and that the behavior of some members of parliament was not compatible with the dignity, honour and integrity of being a member of parliament.
“Let me start by saying very loudly and clearly that what happened today in the well of parliament is most unfortunate because the behavior of some members of parliament is not compatible with the dignity, honour and integrity of being members of parliament.
He added that as law makers their first responsibility is to obey the law. He said the public is not expecting to be seeing members of parliament misbehaving in a manner that is contrary of the law which they make.
“What the public has seen this morning is indefensible, unwarranted, totally unnecessary and completely an affront to the dignity and honour of parliament,” he added.
He also pointed out that the last time parliament did sit; it was adjourned “sine die”.
He said this is because ‘sine die’ adjournment gives members of parliament the opportunity to visit their various constituencies and even to travel out of the country.
He therefore said that what Chernor Maju Bah was citing was not applicable to such circumstances as this particular reconvening was summoned by the president and that the president got that power from section 86(1) of the constitution of Sierra Leone, which is the supreme law of the land and that any action that contravenes or contradicts it is declared null and void.
He also informed members of the press that when the president notified him of the emergency meeting, he immediately authorized the Clerk to inform members of parliament of the sitting.
He described the action of Bah as misleading to his party, himself and parliament as a whole.
The riot started when Bah as Leader of the main opposition said the sitting of parliament should not take place because he said the speaker has violated a provision in the SO. But the Speaker over ruled that the constitution, which is the supreme laws of the land, supersedes the SO.
Thus, the All People’s Congress (APC) members of parliament moved from their allotted seats and rushed to the speaker’s desk and scattered all the documents and pushed over chairs.
Police reinforcement emerged and straightaway engaged APC MPs to get them off the podium which they succeeded in doing.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (21/04/21)
