Dr. Doma: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 17 July 2023:
In a shocking turn of events, it has come to light that Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, former presidential candidate for the NGC in 2018, has not only played a pivotal role in helping President Maada Bio secure victory in the controversial 2023 elections but has also been generously compensated for his efforts. However, as citizens and international observers continue to question the legitimacy of the election results, the nature of Dr. Yumkella’s compensation raises even more eyebrows and adds fuel to the fire of discontent.
Disguised under the name “Presidential Initiatives for Climate Change, Renewable Energy, and Food Security,” this compensation appears to be nothing more than an attempt to divert taxpayer funds towards rewarding political support. The timing couldn’t be worse, as many citizens are already questioning the integrity of the electoral process and the fairness of the outcomes. The allocation of such a significant amount of public money to a seemingly unnecessary office only intensifies the doubts and frustrations of the electorate.
Adding to the controversy is the puzzling creation of additional ministries. With existing institutions already tasked with addressing crucial matters like the environment, energy, and agriculture, the need for yet another office appears suspect. It raises concerns about the true motives behind these new ministries and their potential to serve as nothing more than bloated bureaucratic entities.
Let’s take a closer look at this labyrinthine structure of ministries that seems to prioritize political rewards over efficient governance. We have the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Energy and Power, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security—all tasked with addressing the very issues the newly established office claims to focus on. So why the redundancy? Why burden an already struggling economy with additional layers of bureaucracy?
To complicate matters further, we also have the Ministry of Lands, Local Government, and Resident Ministers for each region, all claiming responsibility for environmental management, alongside municipalities. This fragmented system only adds to the confusion and raises doubts about the ability to achieve meaningful progress when responsibilities are spread thin and competing departments vie for influence.
Amidst all these controversies, we cannot overlook Dr. Yumkella’s former constituency of Yeliboya and Samu, which remains vulnerable to rising sea levels. Despite his tenure as an MP, little has been done to address this pressing issue. This lack of action begs a vital question: If political leaders cannot make a difference in their own backyards, how can we expect them to address the challenges facing the entire nation?
It becomes increasingly apparent that Dr. Yumkella’s involvement in helping President Bio secure victory in the 2023 elections has indeed come with substantial rewards. However, as citizens, it is our duty to demand transparency, accountability, and fair elections from our elected officials. (Photo above: Yumkella signing pre-election deal with president Bio).
The irregularities surrounding the election results have left many citizens and international observers sceptical, and the extravagant compensation only serves to perpetuate a system of political patronage.
We must unite and demand effective action in addressing crucial issues such as climate change, renewable energy, and food security. Our hard-earned money should be invested in genuine progress, not wasted on political favours.
Let us remind our leaders that empty gestures and political compensation will not suffice; they must demonstrate a true commitment to the betterment of our nation.
As many citizens continue to question the results and push for transparency, let’s stay engaged, demand accountability, and work towards a future where our nation’s interests prevail over personal gains. Together, we can shape a brighter and more just future for all.
I continue to hold on to the thought that a government with Dr Yumkella in it is better than a government without him, but my loyalty is being severely strained. With his years working for the UN and his pension Dr Yumkella is by Sierra Leonean standards a very wealthy man, so the insinuation that his award of the ministerial position is some sort of monetary reward doesn’t hold water. Let’s hope that I’m right
Gentlemen, let’s try and figure out things rightly. All this blatant and unprecedented rigging of the 2023 presidential and general elections is as a result of the temptation of capitalising on the newly found gas deposits around the Atlantic coast bordering Port Loko and Kambia districts. What makes you think the SLPP gained up to four seats in Port Loko – a traditional stronghold of the APC?. And why did President Bio promised to build fifty factories in the area? Winning the 2023 elections was a do-or-die affair for Maada Bio, Fatima Bio, and the cunning Kandeh Yumkella. You get it?! The only problem now is, if this potential windfall is not managed carefully and properly, it will most likely fuel a devastating conflict in Sierra Leone. Lonta.
I believe that with the background of Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, our country will be transformed for the better in terms of Food Security.
Difficulties are meant to rouse and not to discourage…the human spirit becomes strong through trials and conflicts…that’s a priceless lesson Dr Yumkella has not been quite able to learn; When the going gets tough, he shuts up shop and runs for cover, leaving his vulnerable supporters to languish helplessly on the unforgiving, scorching, mean streets of Freetown; What exactly happened to Yumkella a man that we once thought had some spine? Those who were ready to confront the gates of hell for their hero Yumkella are now wearing veils covering their faces in humiliation after finding out the truth, that their hero that they thought could do them no wrong was allegedly measured secretly, weighed on the scales of SLPP treachery and bought for a paltry, miserable sum against the protesting voices of his poor people; How low some men can sink…how wretched they can be in their unseemly quest for money, riches, political power, and prestige;
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A good name will shine forever..it is better than good habits…better than diamonds and pearls waiting to be polished and cut…but then again how would Dr Yumkella know such a thing, a man that prefers to quench his thirsts with ageless, finest wine, instead of stale, unprocessed drinking water coming from artisan natural wells that give out sweet, delicious water on their own? Folks there are those who are claiming that Yumkella was bought by Maada Bio…but for how much exactly? I know the price of a cup of rice and a pound of meat…a tuber of yam, plantains, peppers and onions but not for how much Yumkella allegedly sold himself?…How sad! For a man to not have the most basic intrinsic moral values and attributes needed to rule an impoverished country…and yet still searching out for questionable ways to hold on to political power, and rule its hungry abjectly poor people.my goodness! Its So so, heartbreaking and sad – History will forever remember Dr Yumkella as one of those lukewarm men who callously betrayed Sierra Leone in a pivotal moment, when she needed him the most.