By Paul Duwai-Sowa (Ndevuyama II), Toronto,Canada.
H. E. Ernest Bai Koroma, Sierra Leone’s choice for the highest office in the just concluded elections, presented himself and his All Peoples Congress (APC) Party as reformers. In spite of inherent divisiveness, political wrangling, and poverty that lingered as a background to the campaign, Ernest Bai Koroma’s message was a message of hope for a new era in a nation that was once a tolerant and well-integrated nation marked out as bread basket and Athens of West Africa.
Among all the other leaders historically produced by the APC, Sierra Leone’s new President inevitably stands out as more credible. He comes to the presidency with more than a political pedigree. Koroma has a successful business background and he enjoys a legitimacy that has not been seen in Sierra Leone politics for decades. Nonetheless, we must question his disposition toward a potential cabinet and his stance in the recent spate of violence troubling the outgoing political players and the lives of businesses in the country. This outbreak of attacks on the Sierra Leone Peoples Party members and their families is a test of President Koroma’s leadership. His seeming indifference leaves the country pondering whether he is able, willing and prepared to take the tough steps necessary to heal the wounds of a country emerging from a nasty war, economic decadence and the attendant youth problems. Undoubtedly, President Koroma has the knowledge and political capacity to allay the fears of those suspicious of his regime. After all, as leader of the opposition for almost eight years, he has had the necessary time and experience to hone his critical thinking skills on national issues that affect the State.
Commerce rules the world, as they say. Business people are major political players and President Koroma puts much premium on the fact that he is from this background and he brings thriving business acumen and ethos to his job as president. For some of us who did not know him until now, the success of his insurance business accords him a good reputation. Also, because he has not been labeled a groomed boy of the past Ekutay Northern Mafia, it is unlikely that he would run the country as an appurtenance of that Ekutay Mafiosi legacy, or practice the leadership style of former APC leaders like the late Joseph Saidu Momoh of Green Revolution fame. This may be comforting.
In spite of perceived fear-mongering during the campaign about old APC and tyranny, many Sierra Leoneans voted President Koroma in because they desire change. However, they are equally worried about the old APC cabal some of whom were very actively involved in the campaigns. Moreso, pundits point to what they see as Koroma’s greatest vulnerability, that is, if people should trust him as an agent of change in the midst of those old APC hungry eyes. There are also questions as to just how independent the new leader can be, given how much he owes to the old APC political operatives who may want to meddle in the operations of his government? Also how does he plan to restore the credibility of APC to the International community given his Party’s past ugly record of corruption, violence, and press muzzling? At the domestic front, the over zealousness and bravery of voters is an indication to the new government that politicians should not take ordinary Sierra Leoneans for granted any longer. It is obvious from the elections how political participation is now ingrained in the consciousness of Sierra Leoneans including our hapless amputees and quiescent rural Sierra Leone.
President Koroma’s honeymoon is short lived and he is already faced with the up-hill task of policy decisions and fighting domestic issues like the attacks on SLPP members. He will have to deal with regional divide, poverty and underdevelopment, as well as youth unemployment and allegations of endemic corruption. He also needs to keep in mind the issue of the ex-fighters which include the military and former combatants in the now defunct RUF. This is more importantly a delicate task especially if there are plans for major reforms in the military. It will require good political judgment to avert any major security problems.
Question time has therefore begun and Sierra Leoneans should question President Koroma about his first 100 days plan to deal with the acute social and economic problems in the country. Many political pundits believe that the former government was voted out because it failed to deliver tangible results for ordinary Sierra Leoneans. President Koroma should note with all seriousness that Sierra Leoneans are impatient for action, and if he does not deliver tangible results within the first hundred days in office, mass cynicism may set in and people may replace goodwill with skepticism about the nature of his much touted reformist agenda.
Already, President Koroma’s leadership is troubling. As the new Commander-in-chief, his silence in the first few days after the spate of violence that has replaced the euphoria of his victory remains a huge concern to many, especially those in the opposition. Sierra Leone still remains volatile and the deteriorating security situation is recipe for a return to carnage. Sierra Leone’s youth population, some of whom are seen in the BBC news clip on a looting spree in Freetown have been exposed to atrocities in one way or the other. Any further relapse into anarchy (in spite of this semblance of normalcy we have enjoyed in the last few years) will dissipate to a magnitude that will destroy our hard earned peace and democracy
Sierra Leoneans have not been destined to be an embattled people always struggling to survive against poverty, tyranny and oppression. A friend of mine once told me, God has provided Sierra Leone with leaders to either bless us or to punish us. But Sierra Leone at this time is asking for a break in the cycle of incompetent leadership. We need a no-nonsense leader who puts the country above else as solemnly enshrined in our national pledge.
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