Alan Luke: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 23 June 2021:
At the beginning of sitting of Sierra Leone’s Parliament on Monday, the Speaker of Parliament announced two key committees for the 4th session of the 5th Parliament which he has the authority to establish.
Conspicuous by his absence, is the deliberate exclusion of Hon Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, Parliamentary Caucus Leader of NGC, from the said committees. All other party leaders were appointed along with some deputies and independent MPs, who are more junior to Hon Yumkella.
As a matter of fact, it is Hon Yumkella’s right to be on these Committees as the leader of a political party. For example, one of the Committees announced by the Speaker was the Supervisory Committee.
Standing Order 70/13 (a) states: “A Supervisory Committee of all Committees consisting of all leaders, chaired by the Majority Leader of the House with the Clerk of Parliament as Secretary, shall monitor the activities of all parliamentary committees to ensure the proper conduct of their mandate”.
There is no ambiguity as it says “all leaders”. This has been a a consistent pattern fully backed by the Speaker, to disrespect, humiliate and frustrate the Leader of the NGC.
In 2020 they refused to gazette his Private Member Bill which would allow Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora full participation in elections and secure women’s representation in Parliament and empowerment.
Earlier this year, when ten vehicles were assigned to the parliamentary leaders of Parliament, including the APC, SLPP and C4C, the NGC leader was not assigned a vehicle.
In 2019, Hon Yumkella was also stripped from his role in the Pan African Parliament.
It would appear that Speaker Bundu (Photo above) is determined to malign Hon Yumkella, as his presence in the Well of Parliament continues to prick the consciences of those who use the political process to further their self-interest.
Notwithstanding these attempts to malign Hon Yumkella, I am confident of his resolve to continue to represent the interests of his constituents and the country at large, as best as he can.
May the Almighty continue to keep KKY upright and make him soar like an eagle. He has been made great by the hand of the Almighty, and no one can bring him down. The day of reckoning is near.
About the author
Alan Luke is the Chairman of Sierra Leone’s opposition National Grand Coalition Party, UK / Ireland Branch.
Having been a member of the SLPP which he then left to become the 2018 NGC presidential candidate and subsequently that party’s parliamentary leader, Honourable Yumkella is perhaps more deeply reviled by the current government than any other opposition party leader. More deeply reviled for what Honourable Bundu and other SLPP stalwarts, shakers and movers probably see as an act of betrayal, an unforgivable sin for which he must pay most dearly. And if that means denying and/or stripping him of what parliamentary perks and privileges there might be, then so be it.
Indeed, there is no love lost between Honourable Yumkella and the current government. He is a political enemy, and given his educational and professional achievements and the considerable political authority he commands, a credible threat to the ruling party’s power and authority.
Naturally, from Honourable Bundu and his party’s perspective, the more Honourable Yumkella is made to remain silent and invisible, the less electorally potent and relevant he becomes. They seem to believe that our country’s present and future are one and the same, that the two temporalities already coexist and that they are the invincible masters of both.
Just wondering why is Yumkella dead mute on all these happenings. He’s not only an opposition leader but a figure with immense authority. He could easily stir things up with pronouncements and press releases. The diaspora election rights were amongst his earlier promises, but since he entered parliament, everything went to sleep. Suppose it’s the paoopa leadership that has stifled his efforts to get the diasporans a say in their governance. Why not make it a big issue since paopa had relied on the very diasporans to get them elected. Kandeh is not a politician.
Again my very APC is also complicit in the matter. All they do is wait to shout the lies of being in consonant with the diasporas on the election participation agenda. This is shameful. Certainly one reason why higher education is no guarantee for successful political leadership. Kandeh by every means has got more western education and exposure than Bio, but Bio is smart and intelligent, and kandeh is not.
Yeah! “Kandeh by every means has got more western education and exposure than Bio”. But, there is nothing beyond the capacity of Chief Sam Sumana to get things done for our beloved country. He would fight the hek and make hell out of the present political and economic mess created by President Bio to move Sierra Leone to economic recovery, political stability and prosperity. Thats it. God bless Chief Sam Sumana.
Really, the chief who abandoned his own party, was caught up in the timber gate scandal. He is a man who does not stand for anything. At least President Bio, an avowed tribalist stands for his Mende people.
As I always say, the God Almighty Himself warned in most of His four revealing books to His apostles or messengers, about ungratefulness. I personally don’t support someone because you have my daily bread in your pocket no!, I do because of my confidence in you according to your behavior and actions. I was born and raised here in Kono Koidu town, I do not know how many times have I visited Freetown in my life time, maybe 5 times. The life chairman has never come to the public and apologize to the nation, after he had hurt our DEMOCRACY. Ernest Bai Koroma wasn’t the one who elected CHIEF SAM SUMANA, but we the people, to dismiss him alone without any crime committed. That was KANGAROO justice against democracy.
Trust me, believe it or not, President Bio could not have been elected easily if Ernest Koroma had not unlawfully dismissed CHIEF SAM SUMANA because he is not a Limba man period. President Bio is a lucky fellow, during the 2018 presidential poll, APC took eyes off him and concentrated on Dr. Kandek Yumkella because of his outside influence. But rather they forgot to acknowledge that Bio was one of the gallant brave soldiers that kicked out the APC one party state dictatorship out of power in 1992.
I am seriously mad at Chief Sam Sumana because he betrayed us. He thinks without EBK, he won’t be president. As a muslim you have to believe in destiny. We were disappointed by Chief Sam Sumana. The Ghanians, NIgerians, Sierra Leoneans home and abroad also the ECOWAS, were deeply disappointed folks. APC used him to get the Kono people and their votes – that’s it. In this regards, I rest my case.
I don’t think if anyone regrets today like Dr. KKY after mistakenly quit the SLPP, not for any good reasons but was not fortunate to become the flag bearer of the 2018 presidential election. I guess secretly, he was offered VP ship, but refused it. His late dad PC. Yumkella – may his gentle soul rests in peace, used to be a good friend of my dad. KKY is a very intelligent person. I don’t actually know, who convinced him to make this kind of terrible decision, abandoning his original party for no good reasons. I believe that he has learnt his great lesson, because it’s too late to come back. But please do not go back to APC, not good for you.
Acoording to Mr Luke’s article, and notwithstanding the enormous contribution made by Dr Kandeh Yumkella, leader of the NGC party in promoting healthy democratic debates in our Parliamentary democracy, seems to me, absence for his recognition, endorsement, and acknowledgedment for his efforts, with this evidence of political maneuvering, Dr Bundu apears to have a bone to pick with Dr Yumkella, which I very much doubt will keep him awake at night wondering what the heck is going on, for the failure of Dr Abbass Bundu to pick or nominate him for one of the parliamentary committees. This just goes to show the sort of politics he’s been promoting in our country all those years he’d been practicing politics in the top echelons of Sierra Leone politics. No one bears more responsibility to the damage and lack of development in our country than Dr Bundu and others like him. Doing politics not for the good of the country, but the good of them.
His political beliefs and behaviour is driven by egotism, and self centered political brinkmanship. He should have retired long time ago to allow the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp generations take the running of the affairs of our State. In the absence of that, we are faced with a multi flaccid generational car crash politics for which the driver is men like Dr Bundu, and others like him, that have long gone past their sell by date. It is about time we move away from the politics of the old, and allow men like Hon. Yumkella, Zainab Bangura, Mayor Aki Swayer, Abdul Rashid Thomas, Prince Harding, Chenor Bah and Dr Blyden, and countless patriotic Sierra Leoneans with no political baggage attached to move our country forward. Enough of this political relics that have done more harm than good to the political discussions of our country. You have done enough damage, leave the political young turks to pick up the political mess you have created in our country.
In a way I blame some of the Sierra Leonean public that can’t see beyond their nose and tribal alliances , and keep voting the same old hands back to our parliamentary chamber. We are doing more of the same for goodness knows how long. And we hypocritically wonder why our country, with all it human and natural resources is not develope. Time for reality check.
Some comments like this is longer than the article itself. The problem is that it fails to address the issues raised in the article. Anyway who am I to complain when the editor could not enforce his previous directives concerning the length of articles. Fen plaba!!!
Thanks for brigning this to our attention Abu, and you are absolutely right to point it out. We have tried self-regulation but it does not seem to be working after strict enforcement by us. Back to the big stick again!! Thanks Abu.
The writeup from Alan Luke is fine but is sandwiched by his personal emotions. Reference the last paragraph.