By Lahai Jackson

The National Reformation Movement (NRM) have elected Philip Milo Kamara as their chairman.

The election was conducted Sunday, June 30, 2024 in Freetown, during NRM’s third National Delegate Convention.

NRM is an auxiliary group to Sierra Leone’s main opposition All People’s Congress party (APC).

The position of the chairmanship was contested by the winner, Mr Philip Milo Kamara and Abdul Karim Kufior.

Milo won with six online votes with 183 manual cast votes whilst Kufior got only four online votes 14 manual votes totaling 18 votes in his favour.

Announcing the results, Mr. Alhaji Foday Conteh, who serves as the Commissioner and Coordinator of Pot Loko City representing north-west, said the process was transparent, credible and fair.

About a total of 201 valid votes cast were recorded.

Mr. Philip Milo Kamara was declared the newly elected chairman of the National Reformation Movement and Amara Kamara who secured 182 votes was elected secretary general of the movement.

Expressing his excitement, Mr Philip Milo Kamara thanked all those that participated in the convention and voted him as their new leader.

He was one of the founding members of the NRM.

“NRM is a group within the APC formed in making sure that the right thing is done as democracy requires,” he stated.

He that most young people have been elected into national offices due to the movement’s advocacy on behalf of these people, adding they are being guided by their constitution.

“The NRM is not here to fight the party at all,” Milo told NRM members.

He said if the party is constrained, it is the responsibility of the young people to support their party and see how best they could move forward as a party.

He promised that his leadership will seek to address the many burning issues within the party.

He said with political will issues affecting the party could be settled, noting that not all problems the party may have that would warrant them to go court but, he said, issues within the party could be settled out internally.

“The peace and unity of the APC party is paramount to all of us,” he said.

He assured of working with members of All People’s Congress (APC) party, promising to do this till the party gets back to power in 2028.

He called on his opponent to work with his executive in the interest of the general membership.

A prominent figure, Ayisah Habib, was part of this year’s delegate convention.

She expressed hope that the leadership of Mr. Philip Milo Kamara will bring a positive change to the young people and the party in general.

She said their new chairman had always been preaching peace among members and advocates of peace and unity.

“We expect much from him,” she said, noting they want him to make the voices of more young people to be heard and for him to work hard to bring unity within NRM and the party at large.

Emmerson Yayah, another respected politician, said they expect the leadership of Philip Milo to bring members of the NRM together and members of APC party to be able to win the 2028 presidential election.