Editor’s Note: Here is a brief historical sketch on the origins of the APC Branch in Canada (APC-Canada) by Abdoul Kareem Kamara (photo), the Chairman of the APC-Alberta Chapter and Vice Chairman (1) APC-Canada. This article was written before the APC-Canada elections on August 6 and 7, 2016.
In 2007 after the general elections in Sierra Leone, some of us started talking about celebrating the APC victory.
Towards the end of 2007, Mr. Peter Koroma of Winnipeg and I started talking about forming an APC Branch in Canada, just to mirror that of APC-North America. Mr. Peter Koroma then sent a letter to the then Secretary General of the National Party (APC) the now Vice president H.E. Dr. Victor Foh, and received an authorization to go ahead and form a branch here in Canada.
We in Edmonton got together in 2008 and formed our Alberta Chapter. The founding members were Dr. Gibril Sillah Kargbo, myself Abdoul Kareem Kamara, KDK Marah,Yusufu Dura Kamara, Dominic Kanu, Michael Kabia, Hawa Dumbuya, Minkailu Kamara, and if I am not mistaken Alhaji Bangura.
Our biggest challenge is to keep the enthusiasm up and the motivation up. Members are volunteers, they are sharing their time between their family/personal life with party responsibilities. Also, work is our biggest problem, coming to a meeting instead of going to work is a no-brainer; of course I will go to work. Paying our monthly or yearly dues is another challenge, but so far, we are doing well.
Our biggest success is actually coming together to form the Alberta Chapter which is still vibrant and viable. Also, in the last general elections, our chapter was able to print APC- Alberta Chapter T-shirts and sent them to Sierra Leone to support the national campaign.
The birth of APC Canada Branch was my dream. I have been lobbying all this while to get the recognition we are now getting. I believe with this interim body and Mohamed Sean Samura as the Interim Chairman, we can achieve and surpass our first year expectations.
We are are ready to be a force to be reckoned with in the diaspora. The national secretariat is going to be happy with us. This is a dedicated team that is ready and willing to uphold and enhance the ideals of the party. We are going to promote the party to all patriotic Sierra Leoneans.
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