By Sorie Sudan Sesay, Freetown.
Former Secretary of State East in the National
Provisional Ruling Council, Tom Nyuma, is back in town
after his deportation from the United States of
America where he was staying with his family.
But Nyuma’s presence is causing a lot of fear
in the minds of many people in the country who are bracing up for
the August 11, 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary
Elections.
The people’s fear is based on Nyuma’s presence, in recent times, in the entourage of
the Vice President and Sierra Leone People’s Party
(SLPP) flagbearer, Solomon Berewa during his
electioneering campaign tours.
Nyuma is not alone among the so-called Khaki Boys who are now
with the Vice President.
Also, former NPRC Head Of State, Julius Maada Bio, has
also been spotted in Berewa’s entourage during his
campaign as well as Idrissa Kamara, commonly known here as Leather Boot.
Nyuma was greeted with thunderous applause at his home
town of Kenema recently when he visited the township as part of
Berewa’s campaign team.
Nyuma is an enigma in today’s Sierra Leone. Many people consider him a war hero while others, also numerous, say he is an ex-sobel(ex-soldier-rebel).
The local press here in Freetown have been questioning the
Vice President as to the rationale behind Nyuma’s role
especially against the background of the availability
of state security.
The Standard Times Newspaper is one of the local
newspapers that has been consistently monitoring the movements and actions of the former
NPRC boss.
The African Champion carried a story recently calling on the state
security apparatus to stop the Vice President from
moving along with former NPRC soldiers some of whom are alleged to have committed human rights abuses.
Quite recently, top military brass,during a press conference
downplayed the issue when it was brought to their attention,
saying the NPRC ex-soldiers have a right to belong whereever
they wanted as Sierra Leoneans as long as they are not
armed.
The Vanguard has not yet been able to talk to to Nyuma, Bio and Leather Boot as to their role in the Vice President’s entourage.
Bio contested some time ago against Berewa for the leadership of the SLPP and lost. Nyuma, it is said, has declared his support for the SLPP. It’s not clear whether Leather Boot has done the same.
The NPRC, led by Captain Valentine Strasser(photo) overthrew the APC in 1992. Strasser was later overthrown by Bio who handed over power to the SLPP after the 1996 elections.
The NPRC committed massive human rights abuses and pillaged the national treasury while it was in power. It was at first accepted but later massively rejected by civilians in all parts of the country.
President Kabbah and Vice President Berewa were some of the top advisers of the NPRC.
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