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From Standard Times Press News Paper POLITICS President Ernest Bai Koroma today launched the local council elections campaign for his All People’s Congress party. Welcomed by mammoths crowds never before seen in his hometown of Makeni, the headquarters of the northern province (the largest geographical division in Sierra Leone), the President said he was well aware that he is the President of all Sierra Leoneans, no matter their political affiliations and background, but he is also very much aware that he came from somewhere.
“I am the President of Sierra Leone, but I am also the Leader of the All People’s Congress party. Without the support of the APC, I wouldn’t have been President,” he said amidst thunderous cheers. The President noted that Makeni town is traditionally and obviously APC. He appealed to his people to return all the contesting candidates to a full APC council even more than they did in the last parliamentary and presidential elections. “You started giving us a mandate over seven months ago by choosing the APC, I now ask you to complete that mandate in the local council elections on July 5th,” the President appealed.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition, the President said his government has achieved what the SLPP could not achieve in eleven years. He made mention of the provision of electricity in Freetown and how the SLPP neglected sports so much that FIFA banned our stadium from hosting international matches unless when the APC had to intervene and appealed, leading to the government disbursing substantial sums of money that culminated to the reparation and qualification of the stadium to host international matches. The President also noted that the Opposition had been trying to politicize the global food crisis, but that the people of Sierra Leone are well enlightened to know that they cannot be fooled anymore.
Perhaps, the loudest applause came when the President announced that his government is setting up a commission of enquiry to bring to book all former government functionaries for misusing public property and monies meant for the poor people of this country. He said the commission would be complementing the efforts to eradicate corruption through the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), which he said would have got its autonomy as a well-equipped independent organ by the end of this month as parliament is poised to pass a bill in that regard.
The President took a similar message to the people of Magburaka, the headquarter town of Tonkolili district, where he was again given a memorable welcome by crowds lining up the streets, singing and dancing.
The President leaves tomorrow for Kambia and will proceed to Port Loko, two politically important towns in the north.
In his speeches, the President indicated he would soon also embark on a south/eastern tour.
SHEKA TARAWALIE PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SECREATRY (ROVING WITH THE PRESIDENT) 19 JUNE 2008
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