It has come to the notice of Central Base Journalists Sierra Leone (CBJSL) that the ongoing open politicization of the Sierra Leone Police recruitment exercise and the discrimination of certain names and groups of people in society is a course for concern among meaningful citizens at home and abroad.

A video clip which had gone viral on social media exposed the naked tribalism and the prevailing habit of politicizing of a national institution among stakeholders and grassroots supporters of the ruling, Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP).

One of the women who spoke directly to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio in the video clip from the Police Training School (PTS) at Hastings community in the Western Area Rural District didn’t only identified herself as a Zonal Chairlady for the SLPP, but she also made it very clearly that all of them in the video clip that applied for the police recruitment process are grassroots members and supporters of the ruling party , noting that they as diehearted supporters of the SLPP were struggling to include their names in the recruitment process and claimed to be abandoned by their political masters outside the building where the recruitment program is taking place.

The Zonal Chairlady recounted that most of the SLPP supporters that applied to join the recruitment process came from Bo, Kenema, Bonthe and from the SLPP Headquarters offices in Freetown and from other places in the South-East, but their names were not called or pronounced by supposed stakeholders of the ruling party to be among the next police recruits.

Chairlady Fofanah proclaimed that most of the names they were calling to be part of the process were unknown people and not members or supporters of the party or system of the day. The dissatisfied SLPP Chairlady alleged that bribery had taken over the police recruitment process, accusing one Mr. Johnson whom she described as the police Human Resource Manager as accepting or taking bribe in the tune of Two Million Leones (Le 2M) from applicants who could afford the means to be part of the recruitment exercise.

Fofanah held her breath by ascertaining that the only names that they were calling to be part of the process were Kamaras, Kargbos, Koromas and Sesay, among others.

But the million dollar question several citizens and even non Sierra Leoneans were asking is “Are the above mentioned names not Sierra Leoneans or qualified citizens to be part of the recruitment process”?.

Another SLPP stakeholder who identified herself as Queen Nar Star and a party musician who was surrounded by members of the Soja Team expressed dissatisfaction that non of the people who were recommended to the SLPP top authorities or stakeholders at the party headquarters offices in Freetown was enrolled in to the course, because, according to her, the applicants are grassroots members and supporters of the party but non of them could afford the said Two Million Leones before one might be considered to be part of the program.

The artist also claimed that the Sesays, Contehs, Dumbuyas and other related names dominated the recruitment process at Hastings because, the artist further alleged that they have money to bribe responsible authorities.

Another SLPP strong woman that spoke vehemently expressed that the SLPP youths wanted to work but they weren’t given the opportunity to prove themselves wrong or right.

“What about the other young people in other political parties, do they don’t want to be employed or not eligible to be enrolled in to the SLP”, a concerned citizen queried angrily.

The woman encouraged party stakeholders to ensure the SLPP supporters recruited in to the force to stop calling our young people idlers because most of them wanted to work for themselves and the government if giving the opportunity.