By Ragan M. Conteh

A politician in the APC has criticized the new Afrobarometer Report which names out Parliament as the most corrupt institution in the country.

He talked in a spirited and wide-ranging discussions on AYV on Sunday 6 July, this year.

Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, who’s commonly known as (Hon. AKK) is a very vocal politician.

He is the Opposition Whip and Member of Parliament representing the Kambia District. He defended Parliament’s role in Sierra Leone’s democratic framework and sharply criticized the Afrobarometer survey. The report ranked Parliament as the most corrupt institutions in the country.

The topic for discussion was: “Afrobarometer spots Parliament in the list of corrupt institutions.

The tClerk is sent on leave: integrity and trust are gone?

Honourable Kamara did not hold back in addressing what he saw as systemic double standards, misrepresentation of democratic realities, and what he described as a coordinated attack on the credibility of the legislative arm.

“I am not calling Alphonsus to compare or to do like it is in Kenya,” he referenced how civil societies in Kenya boldly confronted unpopular government decisions in the country.

“In Sierra Leone, when the government errs, we wait to see what the opposition will say instead of acting as collective defenders of democracy.”

Hon. Kamara pointed out what he viewed as selective morality in how both government institutions and civil society respond to violations of democratic norms.

He cited the silence that followed the Anti-Corruption Commission’s handling of the case involving the Clerk of Parliament, while similar past cases involving opposition figures were widely publicized and condemned.

“When it was the Sierra Leone People’s Party fighting Opposition figures, people justified the commissions and investigations.

But now, when the Clerk and the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission are involved, the silence from civil society is as loud as my grandmother’s drum in the village,” he said.

Hon. Kamara expressed deep concern over the politicization of public service and potential spillovers into the military.

He warned against creating double standards by allowing public servants to openly participate in politics while warning soldiers against doing the same.

“We are heading for dangerous terrain if a Colonel ever wears a party t-shirt. Today it’s a public servant declaring political intentions. Tomorrow, it could be the military,” he said.

He pointed out that Chapter Twenty-Six of Sierra Leone’s Constitution, which speaks to the neutrality of public servants, is being undermined, raising serious implications for national cohesion and the democratic process.

Reacting to the Afrobarometer report, Hon. Kamara questioned its methodology, timing, and motive.

“When Parliament is handling crucial national issues like constitutional reviews or implementing the Tripartite Committee’s recommendations, that’s when such reports emerge attacking Parliament’s integrity,” he said.

“This undermines the people’s trust and sets the stage for discrediting any dissenting Parliament which may be expressed by the people in future.”

He added that tagging Members of Parliament as the second most corrupt without reference to the empirical findings in the Auditor General’s reports weakens the credibility of such surveys.

“Have you read the audit reports? They clearly show corrupt practices in multiple other institutions. So why singling out Parliament?” he asked.

Hon. Kamara also linked some of the challenges in parliamentary performance to the adoption of the proportional representation system over the traditional first-past-the-post system.

He argued that under proportional representation, Members of Parliament are not directly accountable to constituents, which creates complacency.

“Under first-past-the-post, Members of Parliament had to work hard to win their seats. Now, with political party symbols determining candidacy, performance and participation become secondary,” he said.

He noted that even performance evaluations, such as attendance in Parliament, are now being used to discredit Members of Parliament without contextual understanding of the legislative structure.

Rather than merely criticizing Parliament, Hon. Kamara called for constructive engagement.

He encouraged civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations to invest in capacity building for Members of Parliament, particularly the 30 percent female representation, many of whom come from non-political backgrounds such as in the teaching profession and social and community-based organizations.

“This is a challenging Parliament, with more women and first-timers. Instead of tearing us down, help us grow. Come to Parliament and say, “We want to build your capacity,” he said.

He further emphasized the need for public education on the roles of Members of Parliament to manage unrealistic expectations.

“If you conduct a survey today, one hundred percent of respondents will say Members of Parliament are responsible for development.

So when that doesn’t happen, it’s viewed as corruption.

That’s why we need to educate our people,” he said.

Honourable Kamara called for national introspection, stressing that democracy is a shared responsibility.

“Let’s not just point out fingers. What is our role in upholding democracy? We must reflect on what has changed in our roles and what more we can do to make Sierra Leone a better place to live,” he said.