The Long awaited 2023 is here and the 12 months Journey has already begun.

In Sierra Leone and for Sierra Leoneans, this means Sierra Leoneans will decide through the ballot box who should be entrusted to run the affairs of the state.

Imagine! the five years mandate given to President Maada Bio is coming to an end in few months’ time in this year.
So, Sierra Leoneans are preparing to vote or give another five year mandate to two people, ie President and a Vice President who will in turn form a government by appointing cabinet Ministers and make other important appointments in various Ministries and departments right across in almost all institution of the country.

A lot has happened in Sierra Leone since the APC was booted out in 2018 and the Bio administration brought in to run the country.

Those supporting the Maada Bio’s SLPP Paopa government are saying their government has delivered and Sierra Leoneans are better off under the Paopa regime than under the APC government of Ernest Bai Koroma whereas the APC supporters are saying the country has drifted in a backward position where they had left.

Some people are alleging that the economic hardship Sierra Leoneans are facing under this Paopa government is tougher than even the 11 years’ war but that is for you who live in Sierra Leone to judge.

As this is my new year massage to my compatriots, I will restrain myself from being too controversial, but I try my best to be honest as well.

In as much as there are the recognisable and tangible developments in the Education sector; the controversial improvement in the energy sector (epileptic electricity in most cities) depending on who you talk to; the ongoing disputable infrastructural developments: the improvements in agriculture that has not started to feed the people of Sierra Leone for almost five years now; the lack of capacity and capability of the Ministry of Finance and Bank Governor to control inflation and put the country’s economy on the right trajectory; the much denied undless corruptions allegations reported to have been committed by the President and other Ministers; the continued damning audit reports on a yearly basis; the lack of Justice for many Sierra Leoneans including the poor innocent woman who was shot on the head just because she was a fula woman in Mansonfiya, the young man accused of trying to steal a bike killed in broad day light in Gbindi; the young Kono accused of stealing a cow killed during a fight, in Falaba District; the six police officers who were brutally killed during the August 10 protest; the over twenty civilians who were killed during that August 10th protest; the extrajudicial killing of APC social media activist,Evangerlist Samson; the endless fighting and bullying in the country’s most honourable house, “Parliament”; the list is endless, I know there are a lot of serious human rights violations committed against ordinary Sierra Leoneans since 2018 to date.

For instance, the Sierra Leonean rapper *Alhaji Amadu Bah* known as LAJ was arrested for allegedl robbery, and his dreadlocks were forcefully cut off, he was allegedly injected with a substance, beaten and his relatives (elder brother) and friends who went to check on him were arrested, charged to court, and jailed while LAJ is still languishing in Prison.

Mohamed Kamaraimba Mansary ADP leader has been theorically granted bail, but he has never left prison despite doctors’ confirmation that he has prostate cancer, and his health is deteriorating.

The list is endless, but Sierra Leoneans are still waiting for the committee set up to investigate the 10 August protest which unleashed an unimaginable violence in our country.

At least the government seems to have done well in curbing the drugs called Kush because I have stopped seen videos of our young Sierra Leonean compatriots meandering and penduluming (my coinage) at different places in freetown and other parts of the country.

I applaud the construction of the lungi international airport, whether it is a new airport or not, it is good for the country. It is development.

The only developments I will point at without any doubt in my mind is the ongoing transformational development taking place in the education sector, although there are negative stories from some people on the ground, but I do commend the government and the Minister with LAJ’s kind of dreadlocks, Minister of Basic education and secondary school education Dr.Sengeh.

To the opposition, it is so disappointing that Sierra Leoneans have just chosen to vote for either APC or SLPP since independent to date. Anyway, I will keep that topic for another time.

The APC ‘s lower level elections are fraught and shrouded in electoral shenanigan wherein there are a lot of allegations of fraud and day light electoral thievery in the lower elections conducted across the country.

By virtue of their current conducts, Sierra Leoneans do not see the APC as a party that is ready and serious about winning the 2023 elections.
This is because some people within the party are bent on thwarting the rule of law and democracy within the party.
I have seen people claiming to be crusaders of unity and reform in the party ended up doing what they were fighting against.
I have seen some other set of people wanting to continue with the same old APC bad attitude.
A lot of selfishness and back stabbings going on within the party.
A lot of toxic factions and cracks within the party. I know it is their right, but almost everyone wants to be flagbearer for the APC in 2023.

Amidst all these confusions and grim and positive pictures I have catalogued above, the ordinary Sierra Leoneans are ones who will on Sunday 24th of June 2023 decide the person to be the next President from 2023 to 2028.
This means another five years to gamble especially when faced with the two political parties that have led Sierra Leone to where it is today.

Sierra Leone is amongst the poorest and underdeveloped countries in Africa due to the attitudes of our political leaders.

I am not here to tell you that the country is hard and people are suffering immensely, but I just want to remind you that you will either continue to endure what you are experiencing now(hardship or not) or you try a new set of people whom you think will improve the country’s economy for the betterment of all and sundry. It all depends on how you vote and who you vote for in June.

The decision is yours and just remember you are gambling five years of your life and the future of your children.

It is on this note I want to wish all my compatriots especially the ordinary Sierra Leoneans a happy and successful 2023.

Therefore, the crucial year for Sierra Leoneans; 2023 is here.
I rest my case.