By Our Correspondent
Mohamed Bangura, a nephew of former SLPP finance minister Thaimu Bangura has, on Saturday July 15th, publicly declared his support for the PMDC and his intention to contest the 2007 parliamentary elections as a candidate of that party.
Mohamed(photo) made the declaration at a PMDC dinner in support of his candidacy in Toronto where he lives with his family.He is however a regular visitor to Sierra Leone where he has business interests.
A former journalist of the now defunct New Breed newspaper, Mohamed is also a human rights activist and social worker. He said he joined the PMDC because it represents, in his opinion, "a new dawn in the political dispensation of the country" and that it is a party that "cuts across tribal and regional lines." We publish below the full text of Mohamed speech at the dinner:
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE FUNDRAISING DINNER IN SUPPORT OF THE CANDIDACY OF MOHAMED BANGURA OF THE PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (PMDC) HELD IN TORONTO, CANADA ON JULY 15TH, 2006
Mr. chairman, friends of Sierra Leone and fellow Sierra Leoneans.
On behalf of the leadership of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC)and the interim leader, Mr. Charles F. Margai, let me first of all take this opportunity to express my profound thanks and appreciation for sparing your very precious time to attend tonight’s fundraising event in support of my candidacy for a parliamentary seat in the forthcoming elections scheduled for 2007 in our beloved country, Sierra Leone under the banner of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC).
The reason for going into full-fledge politics, and for particularly joining the PMDC is as a result of two compelling factors: a new dawn in the political dispensation in our country that is challenging the old traditional parties of the All People’s Congress Party (APC) and the tired Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), and second, a translation of the old adage by the PMDC that “if you wash your hands clean you could dine with elders”. This demonstrates that the PMDC is a party that cuts across tribal and regional lines.
Mr. Chairman, friends and fellow Sierra Leoneans. Since the death of my uncle, the late Thaimu Bangura (may his soul rest in perfect peace), former presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (popularly known as Sorbeh) and Finance minister under the SLPP government, my family, friends, and colleagues in the human rights community tried to convince me in order to step into the late man’s political shoes so that I could continue where he left the PDP.
As I prayed to God almighty to help me in this decision, many political parties, including the ruling Sierra Leone’s Peoples’ Party (SLPP), contacted me through friends and relatives so that I could join their bandwagon. But, upon reflection on the political instability that has destroyed our country, coupled with the mismanagement of the economy in which our country is being ranked as the least developed in the world by successive United Nations Human Development Index reports, I advised myself that the country needs a crop of dedicated leaders with vision, decisive thinking, and strong leadership if we are serious to salvage it from the abyss of negligence by successive governments.
So, after intensive consultations with friends, family members, and my constituents both at home and abroad, and with God’s guidance, I arrived at the informed decision that the only way out from the current political malaise, marginalization of the youth and corruption is to declare my support for the newly formed PMDC, a party whose membership is untainted with a dedicated leadership that has a clear vision for the country. This decision is the natural response of any young man full of energy and the zeal to serve his people with a difference in order to redeem them from the lies and politicking that have become the daily scandal in the politics of Sierra Leone since independence.
As an ardent believer that going into politics comes with experience and maturity, I politely declined that appeal and instead focused my time and resources in helping my country in other unique ways by helping to resettle Sierra Leonean families in Canada, Norway and Australia.
Crooked politicians made Sierra Leoneans refugees in the first place as a result of a vicious war caused by poor governance, mismanagement and corruption. The irony in this is that the country is blessed with abundant diamonds, gold and rutile deposits coupled with our rich marine resources, yet it is the poorest country in the world.
Mr. Chairman, friends and fellow Sierra Leoneans, during this historic fundraising dinner in support of my political ambition, and by acting on the mandate of my people, friends and family members, I not only hereby declare for the PMDC, the next to-be government of the republic of Sierra Leone come 2007, but to also solicit your support to send me to parliament as the PMDC is poised to form the next government come 2007.
To conclude, let me once more thank you all very much for your kind attendance and support. May God bless you all!!!
Yours in PMDC,
MOHAMED BANGURA
LONG LIVE SIERRA LEONE!
LONG LIVE THE PMDC!
LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY!
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