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Sierra Leone main opposition party, the All Peoples Congress (APC) party has raised serious concerns about the increasing incidents of political intimidation, harassment, and violence against its members in the south-eastern region of Sierra Leone.
APC raised these concerns in a press statement issued today, 1 June 2023, signed by Lansana Dumbuya Esq., National Secretary General of the party.
The party specifically highlighted recent incidents in the Pujehun district, urging the public and international community to take notice of the escalating violence.
The statement refers to a public address by the First Lady, Fatima Bio, where she allegedly called on supporters of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to prevent any opposition APC supporters from campaigning in the SLPP’s stronghold. According to the APC, this call has resulted in violent acts against their members.
The party recounted an incident on May 7, 2023, which was the day scheduled for the nomination of APC candidates for Members of Parliament. After the nomination process, APC candidates and their supporters dispersed peacefully to their respective towns and villages. However, in the village of Foindu Perrie in the Perrie Chiefdom, Pujehun District, APC MP candidate Massah Kpakanya Rogers hosted a party to celebrate the occasion. Local authorities, led by Chief Morie Kallon, interrupted the gathering and demanded that it be stopped. This intervention quickly escalated into violence, with community youths throwing stones and other objects at Rogers’ house. The attackers also physically assaulted several APC supporters, including Rogers herself, and sprayed acid on them.
The APC further alleges that some of their members, including long-time community residents, have been banished from the village by local authorities. Additionally, Mambu Rogers, another APC member in Pujehun Town, suffered severe injuries, including a fractured arm, after being assaulted by an individual named Henry Gonawa.
During a meeting organized by the Office of National Security to address these issues, the Regent Chief of Perrie Chiefdom, who is also the Young Generation Leader for the SLPP in Constituency 102, reportedly made hostile remarks towards APC supporters. He threatened to expel any residents of Foindu who were not affiliated with the SLPP. The APC claims that similar sentiments were expressed by other SLPP members, including a self-identified SLPP Press Attaché to Germany, Mr. Hilton Gogra.
In a concerning turn of events, the APC asserts that after the attacks on their supporters, it is their members who have been arrested and detained by the police, while the alleged perpetrators from the SLPP go unpunished. The APC has reported the matter to the Inspector General of Police but has yet to receive a satisfactory response.
The APC calls for immediate intervention from the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), the Electoral Commission Sierra Leone (ECSL), and the international community to address the escalating violence and intimidation. They emphasize the need for peaceful elections and express their commitment to maintaining calm and abiding by the law.
As tensions rise ahead of the June 24th General Elections, the APC’s allegations of political intimidation and violence highlight the challenges facing Sierra Leone’s democratic process. The party’s plea for swift intervention underscores the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring the safety of all political participants and supporters.
The South-East of the country is occupied dominantly by mende tribe, who the APC referred to as dogs. Therefore since this election is not meant for dogs, the APC has nothing to with the dogs as described us. We will continue to show them our dog patterns until they stop coming to our territory.