Commentary

CONGRATULATIONS TO SIERRA LEONEAN VOTERS!

Sierra Leonean voters made history on Saturday 24th June 2023, when they came out in droves around the country to elect their President, Members of Parliament, Mayors/Chairpersons and Councillors respectively.

Despite our partisan differences and all the political shenanigans prior to the multitier elections, we should congratulate ourselves for exercising our democratic rights to vote and be voted for under relatively conducive political environment in most parts of the country. We should also be thankful that the elections have at last been successfully concluded albeit unsubstantiated claims by NEW that the presidential election would have ended in a runoff, a claim that has been vehemently debunked by expert statisticians from both within and without.

Now that His Excellency President Brig. (Rtd) Dr. Julius Maada Wonnie Bio has been re-elected while his running mate Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has taken the Oath of Office administered by the President, it stands to reason that all political parties put the past behind them and work towards national development which we are all yearning for as a nation. We may have our partisan differences, but it is very relevant that we work towards national development to better our lives.

As patriotic Sierra Leoneans, it is incumbent upon us to put our hands on deck to ensure the President's agenda for national development and the diversification of the economy becomes successful.

Let's work towards supporting the government to succeed in all of its endeavours instead of undermining it or tarnishing its international image for political reasons that will not auger well for the country and its citizenry, irrespective of which party colour you wear. It is only when we become a united and peaceful nation that we will work gladly towards national development.

President Bio in his acceptance speech on Tuesday extended an olive branch to all political parties that participated in the just concluded multitier elections and appealed to join him work towards progress and prosperity.

We therefore hope that this clarion call for inclusiveness by President Bio would be heeded to by these political parties for democracy, good governance and holistic national development that would impact on the lives of Sierra Leoneans.