Salone News

Information Minister denounces Order from Above allegation

1 September 2019 at 23:58 | 1986 views

Commentary

By PEL Koroma, Freetown

The Honourable Minister of Information, Rado Swaray (photo) has unequivocally impressed on Sierra Leoneans on Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) that the SLPP government is not here to condone violence, but to contribute to the peace and security of our people and the country in general.

In his no-nonsense approach to violence, the Minister appealed to the institution responsible for ensuring the people enjoy law and order to take the law to whoever perpetrates lawlessness.

This frustration emerged from the failure of the Police institution that has enjoyed independence since SLPP came to power. Sierra Leoneans will recall the ardent role the SLPP government played in bringing the gruesome carnage that was inflicted on the people of this country by the senseless war that left indelible marks on our country.

The barbarism that was exhibited on the 24th of August in the Constituency 110 bye-election has been totally condemned by the SLPP government. There is not a government that is interested in the peace and tranquillity of Sierra Leone more than the current SLPP administration. This is so because the SLPP is determined to deliver on its promises, especially as the road map to success is clear.

Hon. Rado Swaray categorically expressed his disappointment in the Police for failing to act fairly, so much so that the perpetrators of the August 24th re-run election violence are yet to be brought to book. With all the efforts applied by Hon. Kabineh Kallon to prevent the hoodlums from gaining access to the polling boxes, the footages clearly exposed how thugs attacked him with so much velocity in the presence of the Police.

Except otherwise but the pictures clearly show how people snatched the polling boxes from Hon. Kabineh Kallon and deliberately smashed the polling boxes on the ground, breaking the polling boxes to pieces . Such an effrontry should not be over looked, and a reason why the Police should have taken prompt actions to apprehend the culprits. The SLPP government will never entertain violence, but the government respects the *Independence of the Police*

According to the Information Minister, such electoral violence is never investor friendly, nor in any position to encourage the boosting of the Tourist Industry.
It is unfortunate that politicians often use the unfortunate youths, jobless and unproductive to perpetuate mayhem to meet their negative political goals. But the Hon. Minister of Information has assured the youths of Sierra Leone that the SLPP is determined to change their lives for the better, instead of being continuously misused by ill minded politicians.

In alleviating the problems of the youths of this country , the SLPP has put aside over US $ 20 Million to expose the youths to technical training opportunities so that the myopic and wicked politicians would stop using them to inflict violence, especially during electioneering periods. As a sensitive government , the Hon. Minister of Information informed the people that as a long-term plan, democratic practices need to take centre stage so that violence would be something of the past in elections by introducing the Proportional Representation system.

Certainly, accorrding to Minister Swaray, this will earn the women the chance to achieve their 30% representation they have been yearning for, and also an added advantage for disabled individuals wishing to participate in the political processes of the State especially in representations.

The Police should adequately take responsibility of what led to the violence that erupted in the Constituency 110 election. SLPP government has never arm-twisted any democratic independent institution to do the wrong things, devoid of the true practice of the rule of law . Hon. Rado Swaray reminded Sierra Leoneans that democratic practice is in the DNA of the SLPP, and that the history of this country clearly records political parties whose names are synonymous with violence.

Despite the resources wasted after the hooligans forcefully removed and destroyed the polling boxes under the protection of Honourable Kabineh Kallon who was accredited by the SLPP to observe the re-run of the Constituency 110 election, the video footages show how the maginalised youths were being used to smear the good image of the country to satisfy their political mentors.

The SLPP government is gravely concerned, and vehemently condemns such behaviour of people purporting to be protecting their political party interest.
The negative propaganda initiated by the opposition, and paid up groups should face the truth and examine their very conduct in the interest of posterity.

The truth must be reveaedl, and of course Sierra Leoneans are not slow thinkers. Stop the blame game, and show maturity. Our democratic institutions must live up to expectations.

Be a proud Sierra Leonean.

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