SAWN Trending: Land Slide in the SLPP as KKY Defects

Amadu Wurie Jalloh, Ernest Yusif Tarawalie and Ebun C. Sillah Jr.

The resignation of Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella from the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party could not have come as a surprise to any kin observers of the happenings in the party- SLPP. It has been tempestuous for KKY since his declaration of intent to join the turbulent party since two years ago—well, no one would have expected such a man revered throughout the world as a true pan Africanist and idealist to have started his political journeying by falsifying his membership status.

Meanwhile, what we should be discussing is the fact that he is gone—yes he has left the party, but not alone nor did it make way for placidity in the fraught kingdom of nagging political old-timers. And he has finally unveiled the shadowy third force wave that many had diffidently yearned for. Why should the SLPP and APC be watchful or concerned about it?

If we could start with SLPP— don’t get it twisted, out of the court proceeds into the court. I have always said this, Dr. Yumkella’s move and defect from the SLPP is the biggest scheme in the political history of the SLPP. And I tell you what: he’s hit the jackpot. Like any good surgeon, he has successfully transplanted the hearts of many Jacobite SLPPers. He was the nearest to strongman Bio in terms of followership (Bio is supposedly the Alpha commanding the largest support from the pool of supporters in the party). He had always maintained his movement (KKY) as a system within a system. Call it a plan B. Though he was unobtrusive of his chance to lead the party— at least not where Rt. Brig. Bio is, but he was sure if he is to change the political landscape of Sierra Leone, into what many political analysts would refer to as regional integration, he would have to join the waggon and pretentiously make a move to compete for its leadership. He has hijacked many of its (SLPP) supporters and rekindled his political figure equalling himself to many front runners in the upcoming general elections thereby declaring a new party- National Grand Coalition. This is not the first time the SLPP is experiencing a breakaway. It happened in 2007 election when Charles Magai deserted the same party and formed the PMDC taking with him over 12 parliamentary seats in the elections. Already in Samu Chiefdom, Kambia, an independent candidate barked by KKY has won a seat to parliament, just to demonstrate how seriously it would impact the SLPP to have a breakaway this time again. The SLPP will suffer the same fate as in 2007 with Magai to have allowed KKY into their mist. They will lose the elections and remain opposition, if not main opposition.

As for the APC, they’ve got big fish to fry: KKY and Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray. Both of whom are considered Northerners (well, regional and ethnic politics is still in practice). And from what we’ve observed, anytime supporters from either regions (South-East and North-West) divert their support to another party from within any of the two regions, the party from that side will suffer massively. Mr. Mansaray almost won over former Minister of Information in a parliamentary election held in the home of Mr. Ibrahim Ben Kargbo. That alone is a bad omen to the APC. With KKY’s formation of a new movement (expectantly becoming an accredited political party soon), the APC has got to worry. The political rat race has begun. KKY will surely take with him some vote from the North-West (in as much as from the South-East), together with what Mr. Mansaray of the ADP would seize, the APC may succeed winning more seats in parliament, but we assure that they will not be majority leaders in parliament when all factions are put together—thereby making a fine mix of parliament that will allow for check and balance system. It would be frivolous of anyone to think that the APC will lose the presidential seat come 2018 general elections. But rather we believe they will lose many parliamentary seats to the two new kids in the bloc: KKY and MKM.  

Shebora Samba Kamara and Ibrahim Mansary

In the first place, choosing the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) initially as the alleyway party Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella was going to actualize his ambition of becoming a Flag bearer and eventually the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone was his first mistake. As an internationally acclaimed diplomat whose knowledge in terms of politics, political antics and manoeuvres who is presumed to know no bounds as he was highly placed in the United Nations which created the dais for him to interface with world leading political figures, the internationally revered Academic Doctor who is viewed by many as one of the finest minds of Africa ought to have used his intellect to assess the ongoing impasse within the party (SLPP) which has been holding the party to ransom since they were voted in as main opposition party since 2007, with one prominent name coming to play i.e Rt. Brig. Bio as of course the Sierra Leonean political stronghold mentality and tribalism associated to our politics are enough for him to understand that the SLPP was not the right direction for him in as much as people are strongly desiring change. The bases upon which he was pushing for the SLPP flagship bid was a bit naïve, so to logically put it: aspiring for the SLPP flagship because his father and others helped in its formation and endured for its growth; he was also sharing the same frame of mind on the bases that these two political Parties of SLPP and APC are to rule the country for ten years each simultaneously.

In another instance, KKY’s action of leaving the SLPP could be viewed and associated to/with different impacts and implications to different sets of people within the country, cutting from his very self and his political career, the SLPP as the country’s main opposition party and its chances of winning the 2018 elections; the country men and women in desperate need of change now than never before; and the history of our Politics in the country;

As a Leading political figure in the country, his action of suspending his flagship ambition and eventually weeks later defecting from the party have a series of implications to him, If one is to take into perspective his individual personality as a politician with his integrity at stake in such a time and his purported desperation to lead, his dream or aspirations for the good or bad of the country and of course his political career. In that, as a very critical minded Sierra Leonean that have been closely following the politics of this country and its dynamics, I think it is the right decision for him to make though not the appropriate timing— as I consider such a very important step should have been taken since the first days he started encountering stiff tribulations and resistance from key party stalwarts with Brig.Julious Maada Bio being a preferable candidate for them. It is no question that this will definitely put his political career and his integrity at stake, deciding on joining a National Grand Coalition (NGC), if made a flag bearer candidate, the possibility of winning the forth coming election is very slim because the mind-set of people in relation to old and new parties is yet to change.

As a political Party, the SLPP will suffer considerable damage in the form of loss of votes in the North-Western Regions of the country as  Dr. Kandeh Yumkella would have been the most appreciable candidate that could be marketed in these areas easily, but as it seems they are insisting on selecting Brig. Maada Bio they will get the traditional votes from the south-east but not those from the north-west.

Finally, the Country will likely be faced with no less a decision but to continue to bear with the ruling APC because of the SLPP’s failure to merge Maada Bio and Kandeh Yumkella as a formidable force but rather splitting to two sects, then it will have less impact on the ruling APC, but rather the SLPP, who’ve once more thrown to the dustbin people’s hope for regime change by allowing such to happen.