We Yone View : When You Have A ‘Headless’ and A ‘Tailless’ Opposition…
EDITORIAL FROM SIERRA LEONE’S WE YONE NEWSPAPER
President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, National Chairman and Leader of the All Peoples Congress, while commissioning the then radio station of the opposition SLPP made it unequivocally clear that with a responsible opposition the APC will continue in governance.
Judging from this postulation, the APC is not at all perturbed about its critics since constructive criticism is the very basis on which the APC would thrive.
For this reason We Yone perceives opposition political parties as the bastion for the transformation of any democratic society. This is similarly so for a vibrant civil society organisation in any given democratic country; not the kind of self-indulging civil society organizations that are currently operating in this country.
We Yone bemoans the factthat in Sierra Leone, the main opposition SLPP unarguably has remised in their duties to serve the purpose of their existence as a responsible political party which has constructive criticism has its breastplate.
Their contribution to the socio-economic and political development of the country to say the least is nothing to write home about.
Critics of the APC seem to have a common misconception about the role of opposition parties, the opposition SLPP and its cronies not being an exception.
Many right thinking Sierra Leoneans are disappointed that the SLPP has over the years, since the election of President Koroma and the APC to governance, proved itself to be an opposition, limited to unwittingly oppose everything or anything the incumbent government proposes or does.
We Yone could place a finger on many emerging democracies around the world were oppositionpolitical parties have been playing an increasingly important role in shaping policy, conducting civic education, and fighting corruption, singly or in alliance with other entities.
We Yone is of the conviction that the SLPP is far from being responsible as the party and its cronies continue playing the political skullduggery.
By political skullduggery, We Yone means the unwitting manipulation of all the fine gains of the government under President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
The SLPP’s recent display atthe American Embassy speaks volume. Their support for a demonstration in the USA orchestrated by some ill motivated Sierra Leoneans who are out of touch with current realities on the ground is another case in point.
Although the SLPP’s national scribe has taken a swipe on the so-called staged managed protest, the fact that people within the core of the SLPP continue to praise sing the failed protests actions justifies concerns that the SLPP is not a responsible opposition political party.
We Yone laments that the opposition SLPP is a party that is divided within cannot stand. Following the media recently the SLPP has been marred with several accusations ranging from corruption, violence and above all in a state where it is obvious they can’t be an alternative to the APC.
We Yone further laments that since the election of the APC to governance, the SLPP has had several plans to incite chaos across the country but reports that the Police are arresting those SLPP supporters who masterminded the US embassy misbehavior is a welcome move in check mating the irresponsible behaviours of the opposition SLPP.
We Yone can proudly claim that President Ernest Bai Koroma has continued to provide the ample leverage for opposition parties. For the first time in the history of the country, we now have amalgamated political associations who are fully involved in the decision making of the country; within the context of the above, the role of the opposition is without doubt critical and it serves very important functions.
Regrettably the SLPP has proved itself a disservice to this nation.
The opposition SLPP has failed to convince right thinking Sierra Leoneans that it has the capacity to promote responsible and reasoned debate, particularly after an election.
We Yone can certainly say the main opposition SLPP has proved to be tailless and headless in their actions.
