By Foday Moriba Conteh
During a Press Conference held on Tuesday 3 October, 2023 at the All-People’s Congress (APC) party headquarters on Old Railway Line, Brookfield’s in Freetown, the Presidential Candidate of the All-People’s Congress Party, Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara addressed supporters of the party ahead of the forthcoming dialogue between the Government of Sierra Leone and the main opposition party All People’s Congress aimed at resolving the political stalemate following the contested June 24, 2023, elections.
He expressed deep concerns about what he termed a rigged election and the subsequent illegitimate reign of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) led by President Julius Maada Bio.
Addressing the nation, Dr. Samura Kamara began by extending his apologies to the people of Sierra Leone, acknowledging the distress, suffering and pain they have experienced as a result of what he described as an electoral fraud of historic proportions. He called the events surrounding the June 24 elections the worst thing to happen to democratic Sierra Leone and emphasized his commitment to righting that wrong.
He specifically criticized ,Mohamed Konneh, the Chief Electoral Commissioner for his role in announcing the election results without making public the supporting Polling Stations vote counts, despite repeated requests from various parties and election observers, asserting that these announced results did not reflect the true will of the people and were the outcome of massive intimidation, violence and malpractices.
Dr. Samura Kamara highlighted the people’s reasons for voting, citing their desire for hope, unity, decent institutions and political tolerance. He alleged that Konneh’s actions, in announcing unverified results and declaring a victory for President Bio, were part of a larger scheme to retain power through fraudulent means.
Rejecting President Bio’s claims of victory, he stated that it amounted to a coup against the will of the people, asserting that the Sierra Leonean people could not accept an illegitimate takeover of the Government. He criticized President Bio’s five-year governance record, citing economic instability, human rights violations, extra-judicial killings and electoral fraud as reasons for rejecting his regime.
He underscored the suffering endured by the people of Sierra Leone since 2018 and implored them to resist the erosion of democracy and the rule of law. He called for non-participation in any political processes as a means of denying legitimacy to the current regime.
Furthermore, the Presidential Candidate emphasized the importance of the forthcoming inter-party dialogue as a peaceful means of resolving the political impasse and holding those responsible for the election fraud accountable. He urged the international community to support the restoration of integrity in Sierra Leone’s elections management bodies and security apparatus.
He concluded by expressing his unwavering commitment to the people of Sierra Leone and commended the grassroots support for the APC party. Dr Samura Kamara called for the production of polling station vote counts for an independent forensic audit and expressed his hope for peace, unity, and democracy in Sierra Leone.
As Sierra Leone prepares for the dialogue between the Government of Sierra Leone and the All-People’s Congress Party, the nation remains at a crossroads, with political tensions running high and hopes for a peaceful resolution to the political stalemate resting on the success of the forthcoming dialogue.
