Dr. Kaifala Marah’s Friday appearance on Truth Morning devotion radio program could best be described as ‘Political Sermon’ with so much lessons for President Julius Maada Bio to learn from.

Discussing the arrest of the National Secretary General of the All People’s Congress Lansana Dumbuya, Dr. Marah shared his vast administrative experience at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, as Chief of staff at State House, Minister of Finance and Bank Governor, and how some people closer to power could deceive the President by telling him pleasing words than what he needs to hear.

He called on President Bio to have a thick skin as father of the nation, and not to pay tit for tat as he has the duty to ensure the protection of national unity.

Dr. Kaifala Marah did not speak like an opposition member. He spoke like a statesman who was deeply involved in almost every decision making at the highest level of governance under the then Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma’s administration.

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He reminded President Bio that building a prosperous nation as he promised doesn’t come by listening only to your team, but listening to the people outside your inner circle whom he described as the pulse of the nation.

Dr. Marah admitted that sometimes they as politicians can score political points but that doesn’t imply that the peace and national cohesion should be undermined.

On the frequent and sometimes irrelevant overseas trips of the President and the financial implications on the economy, Dr. Marah said that the absence of the President in the country serves as a recipe for workers and stakeholders to retire to the communities as nothing much happens behind him.

“I am not saying this because of the money involved, the President has the choice to travel anywhere but if the country is struggling to pay salaries, huge amounts in domestic revenue is used to pay off debts and increasing taxes everywhere as seen in the recent increase in excise duty on petroleum products, one has to ask himself how much more I need to engage and how much more I need to travel”, he advised.

Many people especially within SLPP quarters would see Dr. Marah’s comment as a political gimmick but they are not far from the current reality.

2028 is just around the corner. There is all possibility that, some political comments will be made by either members of the SLPP or the APC. But for President Bio’s government to pay attention to those comments will definitely boost APC’s sympathy in a country where people vote on sentiments and not on issues or competence.

Any attempts by either the Judiciary, the Police or the Political Parties Registration Commission to implement the law will be deemed as narrowing of the political space.

Within SLPP circle, the discord between power and the people is glaring.

The current young political breed within the corridors of power, have developed so much appetite to succeed the President to an extent that, they have forgotten their mandates and formed camps within camps.

It is a good thing that President Bio has placed some young people in leadership positions. But it seems that those he entrusted with such responsibilities are promoting their presidential ambition than the agenda of the president which is definitely not a good sign.

The New Direction ‘People’s Manifesto’ was developed by President Bio together with his well-experienced and competent administrators like Abass Bundu, Kanja Sesay, JJ Saffa, David Francis to name but a few.

But today, mentioning those names in public is as worse as the highest sin any believer could commit and it comes with great consequences.

It is high time for President Bio to have ears on ground and to have frank talks with his people.

SLPP cannot afford to go to the 2028 polls with the current economic situation in the country. So much has been done by

President Bio knows that so much is yet to be done for the people to be convinced that continuity is the way forward.

And that could only happen by breaking the post 2018 brick walls built around him by some of his trusted boys.