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Sierra Leone’s Parliament descended into chaos on Thursday, November 23rd, as Members of Parliament (MPs) engaged in a heated and chaotic debate over the 2024 budget.
Awoko reports that the ruckus erupted when Honorable Quinton Konneh of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), representing Kailahun District, accused MPs of the All People’s Congress Party (APC) of criticizing the government for overspending while simultaneously demanding payment for their backlogs, despite allegedly not fulfilling their duties as MPs.
The exchange escalated quickly, with opposing MPs standing apart and tensions rising to the point where physical altercations were narrowly avoided with the intervention of other MPs. Following the impassioned speeches, offensive chants erupted from both sides, with SLPP MPs asserting that there would be no payment of backlogs to APC MPs, while APC MPs accused the SLPP of election theft.
In an attempt to restore order, House Speaker Hon. Abass Chernor Bundu called the two leaders for a dialogue. After their discussion, peace was restored, and both sides were ready to resume the debate. However, to prevent a recurrence of the chaos, the speaker did not allow Hon. Quinton to continue his speech but instead asked another MP to take the floor.
Despite appeals from the acting leader of government business, Hon. Bashiru Silikie of the SLPP, the speaker refused to let Hon. Quinton continue.
“You squandered the privilege of continuing; he doesn’t deserve another…” declared the speaker, pointing out that Hon. Quinton had gone beyond the subject matter before the house.
The house was then adjourned for an hour to restore order. When the session resumed, the SLPP MPs, expressing dissatisfaction with the speaker’s decision, refused to continue the debate and asked that the APC MPs take the floor.
After a brief hiatus to address concerns with the SLPP MPs, the house reconvened, and the SLPP MPs were prepared to continue the debate.
APC MPs should be ashamed of themselves for such reckless and cheap political gimmicks from the SLPP MPs,after defying the will of the people that elected you not to go to parliament until these criminals act right by telling Konneh to release the actual results of the June 24,2023 elections. With you one gut and thirst for money,you betrayed the voices of the electorates that voted you ,and now you are facing the reality. No back log will be paid to you guys.lesson learned.
Wow, another drama in parliament, we knew APC MPs would demand for their backlog. How can they request for salaries which they didn’t work for. Salon na contry
This is what Parliament should be about. Saying the truth. I’m however disappointed at the speaker’s decision not to allow the SLPP MP continue, is it a bad tin to say APC is not economically truthful. The APC MP has no justification to say SLPP stole the election. Childish from the Speaker.
See childish comments… Until we put salone first over this SLPP of a Party we will never progress as a nation. APC mps demanding for a backlog payment was part of the agreement for their return to parliament it was signed by the president. Anyway we understand the attitude of SLPP MPs taking outh for something but do the opposite, very pathetic our nation is going backwards every day, money is becoming useless, no price control, GDP useless, inflation highest ever in the history of our nation. Instead of fighting for a stable economy you fighting APC mps over an agreement that was signed by ur boss. And you see those childish “party pikin” SLPP myopia supporters commenting rubbish, shameful. Quote “But na salone we all dea na we dea buy gas the same price that if u get car, rice the same price that if noto feed den dea feed you because if you get responsibility u go worry about how d country dea go, wuna don dea na Sierra loaded Wea wuna kin get free church or Bank WiFi anything against APC you start insulting and opposing anything about SLPP you will see them God bless you sir. D pa dea work, sometem since morning e nor eate laybele tinden” End of Quote
Sierra Leone we have to unite as a nation put our country first over politics or political party it is childish for one to argue that APC don’t have evidence of stolen elections. why was is not tabulated and why konneh did not produce the Data for people to see allover that maada won the election? . Why was a dialogue? , way was the demands of APC approved including this backlog payment if SLPP win the elections? , why was a committee set up to investigate the election process? . Academic fools they can write but don’t know anything.