Published on February 4, 2011 

All great truths start as blasphemy. The floored opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) scrambled off the canvas to dispute it. The former  ambassador, Patrick Foyah, ranted against the APC and rationalized that the Kissis will not vote for the ruling party. But news coming from Kailahun District should get the opposition worried because the APC seems to have penetrated their stronghold. Political savvy is about to reign supreme over political brawn.

The pro- APC group called THE FRIENDS OF ERNEST KOROMA is rocking in Kailahun and winning converts by droves. The motivating factor for the implausible drama is the new air of optimism President Ernest Koroma has breathed in the backward and once-neglected district that they too could benefit immensely from the socio-economic and political projects the President has launched in the country. According to our roving reporters , SLPP youths disgusted by the lack of progress in their district are crossing over to the APC to become members of FRIENDS OF ERNEST KOROMA. Members of the progressive group are said to have gained significant grounds in their sensitization program designed to awaken youths of the district to the salient message that in today’s political reality  the party that makes the pot boil and also brings much-needed development is the one that should be embraced.

The brain behind FRIENDS OF ERNEST KOROMA is Kailahun youth political activist, Sahr Mokuwa. He told our reporters that he was moved by what President Koroma  has done for the district in the short time that the President has been in power. He and officials of FRIENDS OF ERNEST KOROMA stated that  they have sensitized the youths of the district to eschew old, backward theories of supporting governments or political parties in Sierra Leone  because of tribal, regional and partisan reasons. The youths of the district are being sensitized to drop their unquestioning loyalty for politicians and parties that do nothing for them.

It must be recalled that though Kailahun District is one of the richest in terms of natural resources like cash crops  and human resources ,thanks of the abundant sons and daughters of the district holding top positions in society, the district is the most backward in the country with roads that are not motorable in the rainy season and residents unable to recall when they last set eyes on electricity and pipe-borne water. Kailahun remains this backward, notwithstanding the fact that the former Vice-President and Foreign Minister, Dr. Sama Banya; former Finance Minister John Oponjo Benjamin, one-time Commissioner-General of the National Revenue Authority ( NRA ) , John Karimu , former Ambassador to Liberia Patrick Foyah and other distinguished personalities all hail from the district. They were in power for 11 years during SLPP rule but did nothing for the district.

The SLPP are in denial but their most staunch stronghold is slowly crumbling to the APC. Tom Nyuma has nothing but respect for President Koroma. Borbor Sawyer, who has a big following, is now on the APC side. THE FRIENDS OF ERNEST KOROMA are winning the youths to their camp. While it is not yet certain that the APC will sweep Kailahun in the forthcoming 2012 elections, the party can inflict fatal blows on the SLPP’s determination to return to power by taking very significant votes from them in their own district. Indeed, the APC  does not need to take the whole district. All they need is just 30% of the Kailahun votes to win the whole elections by a landslide , given projections that the APC will retain the Western Area and the North , take Kono and prise some important votes from  the SLPP  in Pujehun , Moyamba, Bo , Kenema and Moyamba .

The SLPP will start sharpening their knives for us once again as they did in 2007 but we are telling them  the truth once more. We were not wrong in 2007 and will not be wrong in 2012.