Commentaries
Rallying Around Berewa....Is SLPP Leadership Starved?
By
Jun 16, 2008, 20:24

The decision by the hierarchy of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to politically resurrect and immerse Mr. Solomon Ekuma Berewa, after his humiliating and devastating loss to Ernest Bai Koroma, in the 2007 Presidential election in the July 5, 2008 local council elections, should remind readers about the statement, “fools walk where angels fear to tread”.  As the SLPP Presidential candidate, Mr. Berewa was so overconfident of victory that he bragged to all the 1.8 million registered voters that he only needed “two votes” to win the election.

In analyzing the reasons for his defeat, many pundits have alleged that Mr. Berewa’s perceived arrogance, overconfidence, vindictiveness, propensity not to forget what he perceives to be an injustice done to him, proclivity to pay back people in their own coin, relatively poor human relations skills and relatively poor leadership style as the major factors that undermined his desire to be President.

While some of the SLPP hierarchy may have perceived Mr. Berewa to be the best person to launch the campaign, thousands of others saw it quite differently.  Interestingly, there are not only many more of them, they are also the ones who will decide on July 5, 2008 just as they did in August and September, 2007.

What prompted the SLPP hierarchy to politically resurrect Mr. Berewa at this time?  Were they aware of the fact that Mr. Berewa’s perceived negative excess baggage is still fresh on the minds of the voters?  Is the SLPP going to remain buried in the past?  What is their programme for the future?

If the SLPP leadership yielded to the pressure from Mr. Berewa’s core supporters to have him launch and lead the campaign for the local councils, they have therefore made a grievous error in judgment.  It was Mr. Berewa, who spearheaded the 2004 local council election that resulted in the disgraceful defeat of the party in the Western Area.  What new message will Mr. Berewa deliver this time, “street lights for his town, Yengema”, “Pipe-borne water for the whole country”, “more qualified medical doctors in every district hospital”, more drugs and equipment for every district hospital” and the “rehabilitation of all roads?”  These are nearly all of the promises made by candidate Berewa in both 2004 and 2007.

For all practical purposes, the SLPP has clearly demonstrated that they do not wish to promote the participation of young people in any meaningful way in national politics. Of course some will be quick to point out to Maada Bio’s role in the launching programme at Bo.  But if they are really honest, they will admit that the unpopular but acknowledged former vice president/ presidential candidate overshadowed Maada Bio.  It was a no-contest affair because people went out in their thousands (SLPP, PMDC, APC) to see Solo B. some participated to physically see Mr. Berewa in the flesh. It was definitely not out of love or appreciation.

The danger involved in all of this is that Mr. Berewa is exposing himself to ridicule, humiliation and the potential to be accused of inciting riot, conflict and violence.  Solo B needs to be careful in the environment of negative peace, while SLPP should emulate the behavior pattern of politicians in the western democracies.  When former Senator George McGovern, 1972 Democratic Party nominee for the White House lost 49 out of the 50 states in the USA, he decided to restrain himself to passive participation in politics. 

Former USA Presidential candidates Al-Gore, John Kerry, Bob Dole and former UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair and John Major are all passive participants in politics.  Mr. Berewa should seriously consider leaving the centre of SLPP politics to people like Momodu Koroma, Dr. Alfred Bobson Sesay, Kanja Sesay, Alpha Timbo, A. Fawundu, Maada Bio, Francis Kaikai etc.  This should be their own time. The continued participation of Mr. Berewa, especially in the local council elections, will create the opportunity for the All Peoples Congress (APC) party to make him the focus of their campaign and the SLPP should be aware of the potential negative consequences for the party.

Finally, Mr. Berewa should and must relax now because if his intention is to run again in 2012, the SLPP is doomed to fail because Ernest Bai Koroma will only be 58 years old, full of energy, vitality and enthusiasm.