AMBASSADOR BRYAN HUNT’S INTERVIEW WITH AYV HAS EXONERATED HIM

By Kabs Kanu

I have listened fully and keenly to the AYV interview with the U.S Ambassador and my frank opinion is that he answered the questions very well and he , Bryan Hunt, alone cannot be blamed for what happened.

He made it very clear that the recommendations were not from the international community , but they were from Sierra Leoneans. From what he explained, if the expectations of Sierra Leoneans are not met, it is not Ambassador Hunt that really carries the blame .

The U.S. Congress has a tough decision to make — Whether to overlook the criminal issues in the 2023 elections and approve the MCC Compact. Remember too that Britain, EU, ECOWAS , AU and the UN are all involved and it is up to all of them to decide the way forward.

Thankfully, Ambassador Hunt did not change the facts. He made it clear that Congressional approval will depend on implementation of the Tripartite recommendations and even when a Compact is approved, it is not continuous. It can still be stopped somewhere along the line. Also, the money does not come straight to the SLPP . And it is not paid in one lump.

I also heard some people saying today that Ambassador Hunt said the U.S recognizes the SLPP Government. He did not say so. He made it clear that the U.S Government is not in the business of recognizing governments. They only recognize the country or the state .

The only problem I have is Maada Bio getting away with his electoral robbery. The international community should have dealt with that and provided electoral justice but again Ambassador Hunt freed himself from the noose of blame. It was all up to the SLPP and the APC and they made the recommendations, not the international community .

VERDICT AFTER I LISTENED TO THE INTERVIEW MYSELF —–AMBASSADOR HUNT DID NOT SELL OUT. It is the international community that has to ensure this justice.

The Ambassador said that everything that came out of the Tripartite had been agreed by the SLPP and the APC during the initial signing of the agreement to have the Tripartite. Opinions will vary but that is my perspective.

The Ambassador was only a middleman and he himself had made it clear from the onset that this was not about having a rerun but to strengthen and improve our electoral processes and institutions. The APC heard it and if they had believed that they were fooled, they still had time to withdraw from the process and recall all their MPs, councillors and mayors.

Now, the APC has presented evidence that Dr. Samura Kamara won the elections. It is up to them now to fight the battle for electoral justice, if that is the route they want to pursue. And APC supporters are contending that it is still not over yet.