By Alhaji Jalloh - Saudi Arabia on August 22, 2013.
Even before the launch of the Constitutional Review Committee in July by His Excellency the President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, many Sierra Leoneans critical of his Government had suggested that it was his intention to run for a third term of office.
This rumour has refused to die despite very senior officials in the Koroma administration have at different forums allayed the fears of pessimists that President Ernest Bai Koroma has no intention to go beyond his second term of office as stipulated by the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone.
It is against the backdrop of persistent rumours of the President’s intention for a third term that Theo Nicol, Sierra Leone’s deputy Information and Communications Minister and Co- Government Spokesman who is currently in the United States used the opportunity to inform Sierra Leoneans there that the President has no interest to run for a third term of office.
In a recent news report authored by Cocorioko’s Kabbs Kanu and Information Attaché, Pasco Temple, the deputy Information Chief described President Ernest Bai Koroma as “a highly principled Sierra Leonean with very strong democratic values – which have restrained him from abrogating any sections of the Sierra Leone Constitution to contest the presidency for a third term.”
The minister, according to the report, made the statement whilst addressing a cross section of Sierra Leoneans including executive members of the All People’s Congress (APC) Washington DC Metro chapter at Lanham in Maryland.
Hon. Theo Nicol also referred to Sierra Leone’s 1991 Constitution and said, “it has no provision for a third term President, ” adding “ the 1991 constitution stipulates that “no person shall hold office as President for more than two terms of five years each, whether or not the terms are consecutive.”
The minister reiterated that: “President Ernest Bai Koroma is committed to that part of the constitution.” This is not the first time a Government official is making that point very clear. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Franklyn Kargbo had also reiterated that President Koroma was not interested in a third term. The rumours of a third term for President Koroma are coming from obvious quarters one should not be surprised about.
Their fears are predicated on the fact that the President’s popularity has grown from both within and without over the last six years and should he decide to run for a third term, he could be easily endorsed by the majority of Sierra Leoneans who love and cherish their President for his dynamism, resilience, hard work, progress and development strides that are felt all over the country. But that has never been the intention of the President as has been peddled by mischievous detractors who are intent on discrediting the President for political reasons.
I strongly believe that President Koroma’s leadership is not driven by thirst for power but by the love he has for his country and people. He has demonstrated to the world that he loved his people and country as evidenced by the development projects his Government has implemented across the country in the last six years.
The President’s “Agenda for Change” is people-centered in that it has created a lot of development in the country especially in the areas of electricity, infrastructure development, health, agriculture and other sectors that are impacting very positively on the well-being of Sierra Leoneans.
For example, during the previous regime, Freetown was dubbed as the darkest city in the world because the erstwhile SLPP Government failed to prioritize the energy sector despite its claim that the Bumbuna Hydro-Electric Project was 95% complete before it lost power in 2007. But today, most parts of Freetown are getting constant electricity supply while some areas are not benefiting from it as a result of underground faults or transformer problem.
Besides, the Koroma administration has constructed more roads than one would have thought. For example, this Government completed the Masiaka-Bo Highway and the Gbere Junction – Pamlap Highway that links Freetown to neighbouring Guinea – Conakry. Construction work on the Lungi-Port Loko Road, Matotoka – Koidu Highway and the Kenema-Pendembu Highway is ongoing despite the rainy season.
This Government also rehabilitated the Bo-Kenema Highway and funded the construction of hundreds of feeder roads in almost all the 149 chiefdoms in the country to enhance accessibility of farm produce to the market so that farmers will add value for their agricultural products. This in itself has contributed greatly to alleviating the socio-economic plight of the rural people who are in the majority.
Also in the capital, the Government has reconstructed the Wilkinson Road to a four-lane road and funded the construction of 150 streets while the Chinese Government is constructing the Wilberforce-Grafton Road which, when completed, would enable vehicles to use the route to the Freetown- Waterloo Highway without going through the city. This will help ease traffic congestion in the capital.
The development strides made by President Koroma’s administration in six years are legion which I cannot catalogue for lack of space. But the point I am making is that President Koroma is more focused on leaving a legacy behind for others to emulate rather than being thirsty for power.
President Koroma is a true democrat and proved it from the time when he was Minority Leader in Parliament. Unlike the leadership of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) that is not willing to cooperate with the ruling All People’s Congress (APC), President Koroma was very cooperative with the erstwhile President, Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah’s SLPP Government to the extent that he even chaired the committee that set up the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT).
When he assumed power in 2007, President Koroma extended an olive branch to all his comrades that fought to remove him as leader of the then opposition APC. The public had thought that he would dump them in the political wilderness, but no, he didn’t. Instead, he brought all of them on board. Even his relationship with some politicians on the other side is very cordial.
President Koroma is also on record as being the first Sierra Leonean Head of State to wear the colour of another political party to attend its function. Yes, he did it when the opposition SLPP was celebrating one of its anniversaries in Freetown at Family Kingdom, Aberdeen Beach.
The President is also on record for not jailing any journalist like his predecessors did since he acceded to power. In fact, he does appreciate the work of the media and has respect for journalists as evidenced by the number of media practitioners he has in his Government. The President believes in freedom of expression and of the press because he sees the media as partners in governance and development.
The Chief Executive’s decision to launch the Constitutional Review Committee should not be misconstrued as an ambition for a third term, rather, it is a fulfillment of what had earlier been recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and kick-started by his predecessor in 2006 when he set up of the Peter Tucker Review committee and was passed on to the current administration in 2008. So why should people start imagining a third term for President Koroma when the process he launched last month started when he was not even in power.
But with the recent statement made by Hon. Theo Nicol and other Government officials as regards the third term issue, I only hope that the whole issue will be laid to rest to allow the President focus on his herculean task of developing the country in every sector that affects the lives of Sierra Leoneans.
