Sierra Leone Telegraph: 25 August 2020:
The political climate in Sierra Leone is once again being ratcheted up by supporters of both the ruling SLPP and the main opposition APC parties, with the publication of a series of hate speech on social media, prompting the country’s national security sector to issue a strong warning.
Following the publication of several audio messages by both supporters, threatening violence as well as the destabilisation of the country, there are calls for both political parties to reign in their supporters to avoid anarchy. Some of the audios are making disturbing death threats against senior politicians in the country.
Today, the ruling SLPP secretariat issued this public notice, distancing itself from its supporters that are publishing hate messages on social media:
“The Secretariat of the Sierra Leone People’s Party is concerned about the ugly spate of incendiary and hate speeches mostly broadcast through social media channels especially Whatsapp. We are also aware of similar messages seemingly coming from supporters of our party.
“The National Executive wishes to make it known that it condemns unequivocally and unreservedly all forms of hate and incendiary statements aimed at undermining the peace and serenity of the country and its citizens.
“The party wishes to distance itself completely from the hate speeches broadcast by some of its overzealous supporters directed at the APC or some of its members in an audio shared on social media on Monday 24th August 2020.
“The party will fully investigate and take stringent disciplinary action against any of our members who is found wanting of making any incendiary or hate comment which has the tendency of causing discord in our beloved nation.
“Hate and incendiary statements are alien to the SLPP and do not reflect the ONE COUNTRY ONE PEOPLE motto of the esteemed party. The SLPP has always prided itself on its democratic credentials and respect for the rule of law and we will continue in that direction.
“We are warning all our supporters and leaders of support groups to refrain from reacting in like -manner to any form of provocation by members of the opposition.
“As the ruling party, our aim is to work in tandem with government to deliver on the manifesto promises we made to the people of this country in the 2018 elections.
“We seek to promote unity and inclusiveness in our national politics and detest all forms of insecurity as the government will not allow anyone or group of persons to derail state governance.
“We urge all citizens to continue their normal businesses as the security of the state is guaranteed.
“Signed: Umaru Napoleon Koroma, SLPP National Secretary General.”
Sierra Leone my only home has always been a place with men and women with hearts of stone;O Children of the eerie darkness arise and awaken from your deepest slumber – Time and tides wait for no man.And you whose desire is to forever become a blessing without ceasing to a nation hungry for empathy,sincerity and love;Remember these timeless words;” It was Pride that changed angels to devils;It is humility that makes men of angels(Saint Augustine.) Choose the paths of light over the darkness!
Matturi, you kick yourself in the foot with your prayer. The senseless word Kakisto… is a hate word you invented; sounds illiterate. You are already at war with yourself – thats a shame!
Can all those engaged in preaching hate please read this prayer for heaven’s sake? “We ask, Lord, that you intervene in our lives to help us overcome this hatred. We know you warn against letting it fester. We know you ask us to love rather than hate. You forgive us all for our sins rather than letting us be angry. Your son died on a cross for our sins rather than you allowing yourself to hate us. He couldn’t even hate his captors. No, you are the ultimate in forgiveness and overcoming even the potential for hate.
The only thing you hate is sin, but it is a thing, and you still offer up your grace when we fail.” Did they hear that? When will Sierra Leoneans love each other? I want my candidate to Win and President Bio to lose in the next election. But, I will never do it through hate. Doing it through a robust and sensible campaign strategy will kick the Bio SLPP kakistocracy butts out in 2023. One love and one country. God guide, protect and bless all Sierra Leoneans. Amen and Amen.
I would rather encourage all our great writers, responding/commenting on burning political issues in the glorious Sierra Leone Telegraph to start a career of writing good books to educate our children for a better future and a better Sierra Leone. For a long time now in decades, there has been no bookshops in Sierra Leone after the SL Diocesan Bookshops, CMS bookshops, the Provincial Enterprises, etc.
I have no doubt most of us old folks had the good fortune to benefit immensely from the aforementioned bookshops. So write folks! You have the potential to do so; you have the penmanship, use it. Forget about politics and its unhealthy, nauseating destructive, arguments. All our writings are largely confined to the electronic media with a very tiny margin of readership.
This statement is a clear manifestation of a responsible government. The SLPP supporters should not allow The Adebayor People’s Congress (APC) to drag them down their “SNAKE PIT or CESSPOOL”. Our GALLANT SECURITY APPARATUSES can handle any threat against the citizens and properties of our beloved nation, as was proven in Makeni where the lifetime chairman of the APC built his command and control center for the destruction of our nation.
The APC party has already took our nation down the “BOTTOMLESS PIT” during their 25 years of misrule which resulted to 11 years a civil war and another 11 years misrule and stealing which resulted to AUSTERITY. Now we have no other option but to MOVE UPWARDS. “FORWARD EVER AND BACKWARD NEVER”. May the Almighty continue to bless our President, our Gallant Security and the people of Sierra Leone.
Where did this come from? Is it an awakening? Finally SLPP have come to their senses to see that they control the levers of power which unquestionably includes maintaining tranquility in all corners of the country. President Bio is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he has the final say in all security matters – playing the blame game renders him hopeless, he cannot exculpate himself. Social media, overall, are having a positive effect in our country despite some of their ugly sides. Almost the entire population have become journalists; the most worrying element of it is anonymity which terrifies public figures. They hear voices or read something but the author is a ghost, a member of the unseen world, you cannot send thugs to beat him/her up.
SLPP can demonstrate the effect of their recovered sight by allowing a peaceful rerun of the by-election at constituency 110. There should be no “arata” nor a Lahai Lawrence Leema there. President Bio only needs to instruct his security chiefs to do their job. No doubt the character of SLPP has altered, they were hardly ever associated with violence.
It was APC who introduced violence into the country’s politics at the beginning of the decade of the seventies. It seems SLPP have become students of that decade. Sierra Leoneans want peace even if they have to go to bed every day with an empty stomach. Most of us have not forgotten the devastating effects of war.
Is this the road to Damascus moment for the SLPP leadership? I wonder how much thought went in to this charade of message. Out of the blue the arsonist have suddenly turn up with their fire trucks, claiming to be fire fighters. Sorry, but the fires started by men like Hon. Abu Abu, and Hon Lawrence, are now burnibg out of control. This is the most hypocritical statement ever issued by the ruling party. You might be suffering from collective amnesia, but the people of Sierra-leone are not fooled by your peace overtures. We can see through your lies. Its like the emperor has been caught naked.
What about the police and army killings in Makeni, Pademba road prisions, the fake charges bought against Dr Sylvia Blyden, the setting up of Rt Major Paolo conteh. What about the statements made by the inciter of violence in-chief president Maada Bio, and many more of your psrty followers. The president believes there are terrorists everywhere in the country that are seeking to make Sierra Leone ungovernable. This is classic do as I say moment, but don’t do as I do.
If you are really serious about bringing the country together, the president should be touring the country to reassure a sceptical public; after all he is president of the whole of Sierra Leone. At the moment he seems to be running the country for the interest of his party. Both APC and SLPP supporters need to be reminded the same reasons that drove our country to civil war, are rearing their ugly heads again. We don’t want any war in Sierra Leone. May God bless the Republic of Sierra Leone.
And strangely they have now quickly forgotten they are the ones that stoked and fanned the political firestorms of hatred and discord, putting lives at risk, by leaving widespread fires and glowing embers scattered menacingly all over our beloved Sierra Leone. Now rabid wolves that are used to blood can no longer be tamed, restrained and pacified with milk as if they were little harmless little puppies. It is too late now; with the consent of SLPP leaders, human beings have transformed into werewolves; and newly born octopi hatchlings that are known to be independent by nature have now fully mutated into merciless predatory giant creatures – it was all part of their devious plan to terrorize an innocent unsuspecting nation; now these dullards have no other choice but to do whatever is necessary to extinguish those rapidly spreading unquenchable fires.
Interesting development! After 2 and half years of venomous speeches and violent attacks against the citizens of our nation, are we witnessing an epiphany from the leadership of the SLPP or just the same old political demagoguing? Didn’t these same SLPP leaders fully embrace thuggish elements in the likes of the infamous ‘ARATA’ who was all over social media spewing hate and threatening to decapitate any citizen who says bad things toward president Bio? Whatever the case maybe, the citizens of Salone are observing and waiting; because ACTIONs rather than VOICES speak louder!!
This is an early warning sign mentioned by the ruling party secretariat. Sierra Leoneans deserve a better and peaceful life.
The country is well known for her high IQ and intelligent human beings amongst African nations and the globe at large.
I am of the conviction that those hate audios are coming from the opposition political parties in Sierra Leone.
Majority of the opposition parties are assuming they are from the ruling party. I will suggest we start tracking the source of the audios by going in depth with the findings on all devices be it computer, mobile phones etc.
Let us stop the fighting and build Sierra Leone for the current youths and unborn generation. ZERO tolerance to fighting and killing one another for no good reason.
I wish all founders, settlers and passersby a blessed evening.