By Millicent Senava Mannah
In a statement delivered by the National Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), Umaru Napoleon Koroma and dated 14th March,2023 he stated that the party continues to stand on its founding ethos of unity, national cohesion, and development.
Also underscored was that SLPP Governments, over the years since 1955, have worked diligently on those binding principles of the party as encapsulated in its “One Country, One People” motto.
He pointed out that as Sierra Leone braces up for another election cycle, it is expedient to remind their numerous supporters who are ready to come out on elections day to vote for the SLPP and President Julius Maada Bio and that their party prides itself on unity in diversity, peace and development.
According to him, ahead of the June 24, 2023, general elections, they want to reiterate the party’s commitment to peace, stability and non-violence.
He maintains that as the party that ended the bloody 11 years civil conflict, they can only continue shepherding their democratic processes toward a future where all Sierra Leoneans would eschew violence and embrace peace.
“We wholly reject and abhor any form of aggression, hate speech or acrimony during this election period,” he further underscored adding that in particular they are calling on their supporters and Sierra Leoneans in general not to spread any incendiary or violent messages that have the tendency to ignite hatred and violence.
He disclosed that during the electioneering process, they reject the deliberate use of misinformation and disinformation with the intent to undermine the peaceful conduct of the elections adding how the dangers of misinformation and disinformation, especially in the age of technology accompanied by social media, can be far-reaching with dangerous consequences.
The National Secretary General and by extension the SLPP calls on all Sierra Leoneans and their foreign friends alike to listen to the call of children who have sent a passionate message to all citizens to make choices based on policies and meaningful projects and not violence and rhetoric.
“The voice of the children, they say, is the voice of God, and it is imperative that all Sierra Leoneans heed the call of our children for violence free elections,” Napoleon appealed.
He concluded by once again committing the SLPP party to a peaceful election process and vouch to follow due processes saying they are encouraging all other political parties, civil society, and other stakeholders to do same stressing how we have just one Sierra Leone, a land that we love and should be firmly united ever we stand.
