Post a comment
The Chairman and Leader of the National Unity and Reconciliation Party (NURP) Jonathan PJ Sandy popularly known as JPJ has not taken kindly to a viral video on social media showing All People’s Congress (APC) 2018 Presidential Candidate Dr. Samura Mathew Kamara making tribal statements that have been seen in many quarters as completely out of place.
Reacting to the issue, JPJ in a social media post said he was saddened that political leaders in the country have resolved to stir divisive and identity based political campaigns.
“It is sad that Dr. Samura Kamara a candidate we all contested for the 2018(election) can make public campaign message focused on tribal derogatory remarks”, he pointed out.
He said being aspiring presidential candidates they should all be seen fostering “national unity, political reconciliation and integration of all tribes under a common national agenda”.
JPJ who is an Economist and Security Specialist serving Multilateral Organisations in notably hotspots like the Sahel,Maghreb and horn of Africa, said: “Divisive leadership through hate and harmful speeches against certain ethnicity or tribes, is certainly not good for political stability and for securing economic prosperity for all, irrespective of which tribe, region or party of affiliation”.
He expressed the view that public debate and dialogue, with the 2023 polls in mind, should centre on policy agendas directed to addressing solutions to the country’s dire and perennial cost of living crisis, and “tackling wasteful spending and corrupt practices in our post-conflict Sierra Leone”.
“Let’s leave the Mendeline versus Themneline or southeast versus north west negative electoral competition messaging and derogatory remarks”, JPJ advised.
He then went on to highlight the focus of his NURP- a political party that he said would “advocate for the political, social and economic rights of vulnerable populations” and harness and cultivate the skills of the student and youth population.
Dr. Kamara’s statement has been condemned by some sections of the public after he said people are being profiled by their surnames and the regions or districts they come from and as such excluded from job opportunities. He was reportedly addressing young people, mostly pending first time voters in the north of the country.
He also made other allegations in which he portrayed an ethnic group (which Rainbow Media won’t mention here because of its sensitive nature), in a very bad light, and which some have considered as tribal bigotry.
Some of his supporters have come out on social media in his defence, claiming he was saying the truth. Since the 2018 elections, there has been an upsurge in ethnic diatribe,s especially on social media which has alarmed many Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad.
