CAMPAIGN FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE (CGG) CONDEMNS THE MAKENI STANDOFF BETWEEN THE ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION (ACC) & FORMER PRESIDENT DR. ERNEST BAI KOROMA AND CALLS FOR CALM
Press Statement for Immediate Release
Freetown, 9th October 2020: Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) today unequivocally condemns the unfortunate incident that took place in Makeni city yesterday, Thursday 8th October 2020. We would also like to express our disappointment at all those whose inactions and utterances allowed the standoff to happen. We condemn the actions of citizens who took to the streets of Makeni to prevent a constitutionally mandated institution from carrying out its duties.
MIATTA SAMBA- HEAD OF CGC
As advocates for accountability and the rule of law, CGG strongly believes that every citizen should be held to account for their actions and stewardship when in public office. We note and are wary of the growing political tensions in certain parts of the country and we expect citizens to be more responsible in helping to maintaining the peace and stability that others sacrificed their lives for us to enjoy. We also expect citizens to act in conformity with the law at all times and to support constituted authorities and public institutions to implement their mandates peacefully and without fear of harm.
CGG is not oblivious of the fact that there is a serious collapse of public trust in governance processes generally across the country. We have monitored and documented numerous instances of disregard for due process and the rule of law by those who ought to be effecting them and implementing same. However, we do not believe that should serve as an excuse for citizens to disrupt an ongoing accountability process. We therefore call for calm and respect for the investigation process to continue.
CGG would also like to call on the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to continue dialoguing with the former President and his lawyers, to find a peaceful, less publicized interaction to ensure that the investigations proceed without hindrance. We salute the steps taken by the ACC to de-escalate the situation and to explore alternatives. We also encourage the ACC to continue with a pragmatic approach. We enjoin others to strongly urge that all respects and protocols due to the former President, are accorded him unreservedly.
To the former President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, we welcome the commitment expressed to abide by and cooperate with the investigations process. We believe that this is an opportunity to show beyond rhetorics, that there is indeed a genuine desire to account for your stewardship. We implore you to publicly denounce violence and call for calm among your supporters while the investigation is ongoing. We would like to emphasize that it is not only what we do, but also what we fail to do, for which we are accountable.
CGG would like to commend the display of professionalism and restraint shown by personnel and officers of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). If there are any lessons to learn from yesterday’s unfortunate incident, one of them could be how law enforcement is applied. The professional performance by the police is a testament to the fact that law enforcement agencies in Sierra Leone have no excuse to exceed the bounds of their mandates. The imperative to follow due processes and international best practices is not an option, it should be a must, under all circumstances. We therefore applaud the SLP for demonstrating that it is indeed possible to police public gatherings and demonstrations without resorting to use of excessive force that results in injuries and fatalities.
Finally, CGG wants to assure the public that we will continue to play our role in ensuring an amicable resolution to this issue.
For further information please email [email protected] or contact Marcella Samba-Sesay +23276984590, Bernadette French +23276622977 or Sahr Kendema +23276356691.
