President Maada Bio was booed by schoolchildren during his visit to Kono last week.
While the President was delivering a public address attended by thousands of people , consisting mainly of students from the various schools in the district, schoolchildren interrupted his speech with derisive catcalls and cries of “WE DON’T HAVE LIGHT,” “WE ARE HUNGRY,” “WE HAVE NOT EATEN” etc. etc .
An embarrassed President Bio stood on the podium confused and at one time seemed to be gazing afar on the side of the podium, as if he was looking for his security. Though the President continued his speech after the action by the students, the incident left a bitter taste in the mouths of the President, his officials and supporters , who however tried to play down the incident on social media.
A social media commentator, Burton Cole, analysed the event :
FRANK TALKS❓
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The incident in Kono is the best possible thing that could have happened to his Excellency the President in his entire reign. It gave him the opportunity to gauge the mood of his people for himself and to correct course.
It might be too late in his term to do so but with the right people around him and the determination to do so he could.
PRESIDENT BIO STANDING CONFUSED ON THE PODIUM AS SCHOOLCHILDREN EMBARRASSED HIM IN KONO
Mr President, the people have spoken loud and clear. Your advisers and gatekeepers will be doing their best to tell you that it was an aberration. I’ve seen a post doing the rounds asking Kono leaders to apologise for that after all that you have done for them. But Sir, with all due respect, they are a microcosm that represent the whole.
A COMPOSITE PHOTO OF SOME OF THE SCHOOLCHILDREN WHO BOOED THE PRESIDENT IN KONO
There are whispers that you are possibly the worst leader we have had post independence.
There are whispers you could become the first one term president of Sierra Leone.
And these whispers are gaining in volume.
Sir, we don’t hate you or envy you this awesome burden of moving this country in the right direction. I didnt trust you to run this nation yet people I trust explicitly asked me to have faith in you. They told me that if I met and spoke with you I will understand that you want the best for this nation. But Mr President it’s been four years of jet-setting in an attempt to woo investors, but we are yet to see any credible investor arriving in country.
You have launched project after project and we haven’t seen any tangible result for Sierra leoneans. The only minister we can point to achieving results is David Sengeh.
Even when your government does something that is in the interest of the people you, bypass the correct procedures. Your Minister of Local Govt stated on radio at the start of your term that the New Direction is in a hurry and doesnt have time for processes and procedures. This attitude has persisted throughout your term.
Sir you have 18 months to course correct and show Sierra Leoneans that indeed “u de soak d gron for the future”. Somehow I am unsure that is achievable.
Given the actions I have seen surrounding the Auditor General it would appear the same people with tired ideas and no respect for the law continue to be your closest advisers. The optics and the haste to push through the suspension convey the impression there is something to hide in the forthcoming report. There might be or there might not be but in this one move all the hard work to tell the world that we are fighting corruption is destroyed.
Mr President I have been told that you will win in the first round – no runoff. But Sir, the economy has stalled and economic activity is almost dead. Things are expensive. The blame, fairly or unfairly, is being laid at your feet.
The narrative being peddled by party faithfuls is different from what I am hearing nationwide.
So it is only prudent that you start considering what would happen if you should lose next the elections.
There are many among the APC flag bearer candidates who believe that you and your party have targeted them unfairly. There are many who claim that they have been targeted because of tribe or region or party even though they did no wrong. Sir some of this could be plain rubbish, but they are feeding into a perception created by some of the actions this government has undertaken.
Mr President I fear for this country if some of these people win the flag bearer race and then defeat you in the forthcoming elections. Sir we cannot afford tribal audits. We cannot countenance attempts to regionally balance the public and civil service outside of set, laid down rules.
I know you love this nation and want to see us move forward. How painful would it be if people were to reference your government as the precedent for any divisive actions they take in future? How painful if they use you as precedent for setting aside the institutions that guarantee accountability and transparency?
Sir whether you can change perceptions in the next few months or not is up to you. One concrete and tangible step you could make though is identifying the best among the flagbearers and try reaching out to them. Open communication lines with them, work with them to lessen the tensions around the elections.
Sir there are many who say the divisive actions we have seen are not you. Yet these actions have not brought you popularity.
Sir it is time you allow yourself to shine through. Mr President i know I sound defeatist and you believe you will win. But it is only prudent to conduct risk analysis and create a risk management plan. The biggest risk to you, your party and the nation is an election that degenerates into chaos. The next biggest threat is an embittered person succeeding you.
Sir i wish you all the best in the next few months. May God grant you the wisdom and courage to lead us and make the right choices.
Barton Cole
