By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Mr. President, Kushe O Kushe Ya!
Mr. President, today I have three serious issues I believe are of great concern to us, the people of Sierra Leone. But before we delve into these matters, let me make something clear: Sierra Leone is not an inheritance. It is a sovereign nation, owned by the people, not by you or your political affiliates.
Mr. President, the people of Sierra Leone have the right to know the whereabouts of Ambassador Alimamy Bangura, our former ambassador to Guinea. Your Minister of Information claims that he has returned to Sierra Leone, yet not a single person has seen him, not in Freetown, not in Kambia, nowhere. Mr. President, is Ambassador Bangura alive or dead? If he is alive, where is he? If he is dead, how did he die, and why has his whereabouts been shrouded in secrecy?
Moreover, let us talk about his then-deputy, Ambassador Fatmata Sawaneh, whom we all know was your close associate. Mr. President, we understand the nature of your relationship with her, just as we know about your past dealings with Ms. Zainab Kandeh, both compensated. Why was Fatmata Sawaneh suddenly gone quiet? Is this another instance of you compensating those who were once close to you?
Furthermore, we are also aware that Ambassador Foday Yumkella, the person you appointed to replace Ambassador Bangura, suffered a stroke and has not fully recovered. Yet, due to family influence, you still sent him to represent Sierra Leone in a critical diplomatic position. Mr. President, are we selecting our representatives based on merit or family loyalty?
Mr. President, let’s address the elephant in the room. How is it that with all your loud declarations, you have failed to explain what happened to the 21 shiploads of rice that were donated to Sierra Leone as a goodwill gesture? With all the noise coming from your Minister of Information and Civic Education, not a word has been spoken about this rice.
Mr. President, why the silence? Where is the rice? Has it been distributed? If so, where is the evidence? If it has been sold, who profited? Sierra Leoneans have been struggling with food insecurity, and yet, millions of bags of rice meant for them have mysteriously disappeared.
And now, we have your chief minister boasting about the Torma Bum rice project, where $34.5 million has been invested, yet only a thousand bags of rice have been produced. This is nothing short of a national disgrace. If we had used that money wisely, we could have imported enough rice to flood the market and reduce food prices significantly. But we all know where that money went. We are not saying anything, for now.
Mr. President, let us talk about the video presentation you made in Bridgetown, Barbados. In that video, you painted a picture of Sierra Leone as a country that has successfully implemented the right policies and governance strategies. But, Mr. President, we both know that this is far from reality. The truth is, you deceived the world.
You spoke of progress while your citizens continue to struggle for daily survival. You spoke of development while hospitals remain without essential medicine and public servants go unpaid.
for months. Mr. President, you continue to make the same mistake of thinking that the world does not know the truth. But let me tell you, they do.
It is like hiding in plain sight. The people see through the lies. The citizens of Sierra Leone see through the deception. And one day, they will respond accordingly.
Mr. President, the day will come when the people of Sierra Leone will make their voices heard, and they will not only remove the SLPP from power, but they will also ensure that the APC does not return to continue the cycle of misgovernance. Come 2028, Insha Allah, we will drain the swamp and reclaim our country for the people.
Mr. President, can we talk? The people are listening, and they demand answers.
