Intending flag bearer of the All Peoples Congress (APC) Dr Samura Kamara has said that he will never be a tribalist and he will continue to be a nationalist because he intends to rule Sierra Leone and not a tribe.

He said Sierra Leone has more than 12 tribes and each of these tribes is part of the country and they have a role to play in the development process.

“No one tribe has monopoly of knowledge and if you want to make Sierra Leone a better place we must engage everybody because many hands make light work and diversity of knowledge will bring prosperity. I am a Sierra Leonean and I intend to work with everyone regardless of tribe and region because if I become the next president I would want to make sure that Sierra Leone will be a better place.”

Dr Samura Kamara averred that when he was in the government, he employed many Sierra Leoneans from different tribes and regions and some of them are still working today. He said he never cared about where people come from but what their qualification and what they can offer Sierra Leone.

“When you look at the state of affairs today in Sierra Leone, it will tell you that tribalism is dangerous and counter production to development. Because this government believes that only Mende AND Southeasterners should be in positions of Trust, that is the reason why the economy is such a mess and poverty is on the increase. We must make sure that to put a stop to tribalism and embrace nationalism if we are to change the status quo in the country.”

The former Foreign Minister said that as he is touring the country and he has been preaching against tribalism, which is not good for the country. He said people should feel their belonging and they should be able to see themselves as part of governance and they will rally round the government for development.

“Samura Kamara embraces every Sierra Leonean and will work with all tribes and regions because my dream is to build a better Sierra Leone where respect, stability, peace and tranquility will prevail. I have friends all over the country and my wife comes from Southeast, I can’t see myself being a tribalist when we are all suffering under it now.”

He averred that he will not relent but to continue to preach nationalism and oneness to all Sierra Leoneans and especially to his party membership that they must embrace everybody because if they are to capture State House in 2023, it would be wrong for them to go down that negative path of this government.

“Ethnicity is a dazzling, ambiguous category, at once descriptive and evaluative-normative. It has long since ceased to be the exclusive domain of social scientists, having entered the practical vocabulary of politicians and social movements. In both spheres, the terms ‘ethnicity’ and ‘ethnic group’ frequently absorb, overlap or replace other concepts such as ‘race’ or ‘tribe’ which have become problematic.

He said Tribalism is no longer an obstacle to self-government in but still an obstacle to national unity. Tribalism will always produce conflict and violence. A united Sierra Leone is easy to develop. Inter marriages have been abound and friendship also have cut across regions and tribes, so it will never be good or better for tribalism to continue in the country.

Dr Samura Kamara called on all Sierra Leoneans to put aside tribalism and regionalism and embrace nationalism because it is only then that everyone will live in peace.