Third Force Political Parties, a Failure

In an effort to broaden the participatory base in Sierra Leone politics, some citizens have over the years attempted to establish third force’ political parties which have all Failed to clinch political power in electoral contests, a politician said in Freetown yesterday.

The two dominant parties in Sierra Leone, the APC and the SLPP, are the only parties that have produced Prime Ministers and Presidents since Independence in 1961.

Hon. IB Kargbo observed that “indeed the APC-SLPP monopoly has been challenged from time to time when politicians such as the late Hon. Thaimu Bangura of the PDP, Kerefa Smart of the UNPP, John Karimo of the NUP, Edward Kargbo of the PNC presented their parties as alternatives during the political transition that returned the country to a multi-party democracy, but the efforts were futile.”

He continued, “after the 1996 democratic election, all the new parties gradually fizzled either into the SLPP or the APC. In fact, the body language of the NUP was clearly SLPP whilst the DNA of parties such as UNPP and even the PDP and PNC was clearly APC.”

According IB Kargbo, the UNPP, which had the potential to effectively replace Kabbah’s SLPP, fizzled away because that party was not an institution as it was owned by one man. Karefa Smart; and once he backed out, the party collapsed and died.”

The same thing was true with the PDP and PNC. and other parties which did not survive because the leaders died.
The later attempt by some people to keep the PDP alive was a poor effort as that party has not been able to win a single seat in Parliament or council after the death of the man who owned the party.

The other efforts by Charles Margai to set up his own party after the SLPP ignored him led to the creation of the PMDC which in its initial stages managed its way to the number three position in political Sierra Leone, but later the party started to show signs of disintegration as some of its strong members either switched over to the SLPP or other political parties.

Another party what was created as a result of protest, the C4C, came out strong by winning seats in Parliament and dominating the Kono District Council. But of cause the creation of the C4C was largely a one tribe arrangement which led to its instant death just after one political term. That party collapsed after its founder, Chief Sam Sumana, sensibly returned to his party, the APC.

The NGC, which started as a third force meant to replace the SLPP and APC, actually started well by wining seats in Parliament and in councils, but lasted for only one political term as it lost its seats in Parliament and councils. Even the leader, Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, founder of the NGC, lost his seat in Parliament.

At present, there are carcasses of parties that could be third force parties but such parties have been swallowed by APC or SLPP and are just waiting for their last breath.

The APC and the SLPP that are real political institutions not owned by single individuals, and therefore the only parties that have the potential to win the Presidency of Sierra Leone.