From the Freetown Media

In a related story, the paper reports that the Publicity Secretary of the SLPP, Victor Reider, expressed dismay that the APC leader failed to turn up for the joint peace motorcade, which he reportedly said depicted the nature of APC. “We are not surprised knowing the APC for what they are...their culture of not respecting documents....” the SLPP speaker is cited as saying.

International community exonerated in Sierra Leone’s elections.

A front page commentary in the New Citizen opines that since the elections are funded from foreign sources, Sierra Leoneans must be reminded that the run-off election cannot be easily repeated in case anything goes wrong with the electoral process.

The writer notes that it took a lot of convincing by UNIOSIL in Sierra Leone and a huge dose of goodwill from the international community for the elections to be funded. He estimates that the donors of the elections are not likely to dip their hands into any pocket to fund an extra election just in case the present one is undermined; and highlights the role played by the United Nations system in recruiting professionals and consultants, all in an effort to ensure that the elections are properly conducted to the satisfaction of both Sierra Leoneans and members of the international community.

The conduct of the elections, the writer further views, is one final effort to consolidate peace in the country and to inculcate a culture of good governance. He however dismissed the opinion some may hold that donors have in anyway interfered with the outcome of the elections. The piece underscores that Sierra Leoneans must begin to learn the culture of being grateful and to appreciate the fact that donor funds for the conduct of elections are to ensure that the country becomes part of the civilized global community of democracies. The writer concludes that it is most unacceptable for the innocent international community to be targeted as participants in an effort to change the political system in Sierra Leone, reiterating that the global community of nations has ensured that the country is brought back to a state of political and social normalcy.

Mixed reports of political alliances ahead of presidential run-off.

Saturday, 8 September would be the D-day for Sierra Leoneans to decide on the presidential candidate and political party they want to rule them in the run-off presidential elections between the ruling SLPP and the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party, reports The News.

In lieu of that event, the paper states in a front page story that many supporters of the break-away Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) had made a come-back to the SLPP in support of a Berewa victory. The returning partisans were said to be in their party T-shirts and orange color with the inscription that they were going back to their roots. A former coordinator of the PMDC in the western area is quoted as saying, “we have made a mistake, but on our own we have decided to correct it”.

In another story the paper reports a joint sensitization of supporters by the APC and PMDC allies. The two parties reportedly organized a one day workshop at Aberdeen in the west end of Freetown to teach their supporters how to vote in the run-off presidential election. In attendance were the APC Member of parliament elect for that constituency and the PMDC chairman, Aberdeen Branch.

Vice President Berewa frees from jail ex-RUF fighters.

For Di People reports that the last batch of 12 jailed former rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) walked on 6 September from the maximum security prison on the orders of Vice President Solomon Berewa. The report goes on to publish the names of the released prisoners who it claims were all from the south-east of the country.

The paper adds that they were handed over to the former RUF Secretary-General, Sheku Coomber, who the paper claims had been identified in the campaign bandwagon of Vice President Solomon Berewa. A related report in Standard Times reveals that prison officers were astonished at the release especially on the day of the peace rally between the two presidential aspirants. The paper quotes one officer questioning the grounds on which those ex-fighters were granted freedom. According to the story, the 12 were found guilty of conspiracy, rape and robbery with aggravation, and were serving sentences ranging from two to ten years.

Security personnel accused of beating hospital patients.

In the eastern district of Kono, For Di People details that last week while campaigning; security personnel attached to Vice President Solomon Berewa beat up three patients suspected to be supporters of the All Peoples Congress party admitted at the Koidu Government Hospital. The three who had earlier suffered injuries as a result of a clash between supporters of the two rival parties, were fished out by the hospital’s Chief Administrator, Mr. Bayoh; an alleged senior executive of the SLPP Kono branch. The piece goes on to affirm that executive members of the APC have vowed to make a formal report to the Political Parties Registration Commission.

APC & PMDC on whirlwind campaigning.

In a last minute campaign effort to woo voters to elect Ernest Bai Koroma as president of Sierra Leone, leaders of the All Peoples Congress (APC) and People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) parties, Ernest Bai Koroma and Charles Margai on Wednesday, 5 September 2007, reportedly made a whirlwind tour of the rural western area villages in Freetown. Charles Margai of the PMDC had forged a political partnership with Ernest Koroma of the APC after the first round of the polls in which he emerged third.

In a related development, Charles Margai and APC’s Secretary General, Victor Foh, campaigned in the south and eastern regions of the country. The New Citizen points out that the presence of the PMDC leader in the south of the country may not be unconnected to calls from his supporters to judiciously enlighten them as to why he formed an alliance with the APC for the presidency, a contest that is expected to be stiff.