By PV Staff.
In what can only be described as a Kafkaesque scenario, a State House press release has asked young political maverick Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray (photo) to join the ruling APC party. State House press releases usually reflect the views of the President and the rest of the government of Sierra Leone.
But what makes the invitation very funny and bizarre, reminiscent of the works of the great Czech German-language writer Franz Kafka is that the State House press release sent to us by Joseph Kamanda first started with a blistering attack on Kamarainba who is portrayed as a trouble-maker allegedly going around the country lying about President Koroma and describing today’s youths in Sierra Leone as "beggars" who depend on the largesse of politicians instead of being self-sustaining and financially independent. Kamarainba supporters have told the Patriotic Vanguard that he never called youths in Sierra Leone beggars because he is a youth himself.
State House seems to be in panic mode and seriously worried about Kamarainba’s political activism and mobilizing skills when compared to the lethargic and complacent ruling party activists who seem to rely these days more on the President’s speeches and road construction spree. In fact the President is doing the work of the party secretariat in addition to his official duties. To a lot of people he looks like the only person doing any work in the government.
The press release, which sounds more like an opinion piece whose author is too afraid to show his face, rambles on and then, like an afterthought, the invitation to Kamarainba came towards the end of the diatribe. What this tells the intelligent reader is that the APC wants Kamarainba, who had been a visible member of the APC in the United United States of America since 2007 and who had helped raise thousands of dollars for the party to come back to the fold, but does not seem to know how to do it properly. An apology is of course out of the question hence the opening attack.
The question now on the lips of APC watchers is does Kamarainba need to join the APC or does he just need a renewal of his membership card? Another question is, is it not too late in the day to ask him to go back after all the humiliation and insults or would his supporters even allow him to go back?
Here is the press release from State House. We have highlighted the bizarre and subtle invitation:
PRESIDENT KOROMA: GODFATHER OF THE YOUTHS
That President Ernest Bai Koroma has elevated the livelihood of young people in Sierra Leone from what misguided and overzealous Mohamed Kamaraimba Mansaray thinks.
Since assuming the mantle of leadership of this great nation, he has enhanced the status of young people, by setting up the National Youth Commission, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the office of the Presidential Youth Aide at State House as effective ways to develop permanent solutions to the youth problem in the country.
Devoid of party politics, President Koroma is the only leader that has opened up adequate space for young people to take active part in state governance, through direct participation in the Executive as Cabinet Ministers, Commissioners, Directors etc.
It is therefore very unfortunate for Kamaraimba to be badmouthing President Koroma when the youths of Sierra Leone have made accelerated progress in their welfare since 2007.
The allegation that youths have limited opportunities for leadership in the country is obviously a shameful attempt to cloud over-ambition and untimely politicking at a time when the government is focused on national development and other governance related programmes.
Any attempt to use a seasoned and experienced party like the All Peoples Congress (APC) to gain popularity is bound to fail because it will harm premature political ambitions, especially without the legitimate membership accorded by the party’s administrative body. Yes, APC is a very popular party and will not allow Kamaraimba to misuse its popularity to achieve selfish goals.
This does not mean that young people in Sierra Leone are beggars that are denied political space by the APC, as youths all over the country can prove definitively.
The beggars you keep referring to in your media outbursts are nothing, but imaginary.
It is on record that President Koroma has carved a unique image that he is the only Head of State to develop the best youth policy since the country attained independence in 1961, and it is through this blueprint that we are witnessing transformative progress in the lives of young people throughout the country. Sierra Leoneans therefore pay warm tribute to President Koroma and pray for God’s blessings and long life to continue championing the causes of youth and women.
All political parties in this country operate under their constitutions and the country’s constitution and will not tolerate any attempt to fake legitimacy of membership, for any reason, including covert and self-serving political campaign activities.
Without a doubt, the ruling All Peoples’ Congress is the only salvation for Sierra Leone and fully committed to positive transformation, through the Agenda for Prosperity to become a middle income country among the comity of global nations.
The President, Chairman and Leader Comrade Ernest Bai Koroma has always proclaimed that the time for politics is over and it is now the period of national development.
All Sierra Leoneans, including Kamaraimba are welcome to join the APC, through the appropriate channel and support the developmental strides of the party and the Government, rather than using clandestine routes to gain political power.
That President Ernest Bai Koroma has elevated the livelihood of young people in Sierra Leone from what misguided and overzealous Mohamed Kamaraimba Mansaray thinks.
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