The presidential hopeful of the Main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) Party is not only humble and tolerant but does so for a reason.
The experienced and long-serving civil servant is believed to be honest figure throughout his days as a public worker. Samura Kamara had served Sierra Leoneans under a military regime between 1992 and 1996 as a Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
And he had served in the governments of the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC), Sierra Leone People’s Party, (SLPP) and the All People’s Congress party (APC), the country’s two main dominant political parties, throughout, under a civilian and democratic rule.
His enormous experience having worked at World Bank earned him such special recognition and international trust to be chosen to serve Sierra Leoneans during those warring times.
Late President Dr. Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabba had worked with him during and after the Civil War in Sierra Leone.
Former president Ernest Bai Koroma continued with Dr. Samura Kamara after Kabba’s era as Finance Minister, Bank Governor and later Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone. It was during his tenure as Finance minister that the country’s GDP was rated as the fastest in the world.
However, the calm and veteran Economist was put to a hot test as he was appointed presidential aspirant of APC during 2018 Sierra Leone’s general elections.
The politician came in the limelight as he was described by his supporters as honest and sincere politician whose hands have never been in the loot.
The popularity of Samura Kamara among Sierra Leoneans grew then like a bush-fire in the harmattan. In spite of his popularity, he was defeated by his opponent, Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio.
Instead of taking up arms, the much loved and trusted politician decided to seek justice over allegations of vote rigging.
Challenging the election’s outcome, Samura together with few party elders took the matter to court.
However, after several delays, Sierra Leone’s Electoral Commission (ECSL) decision was upheld by the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone and it declared President Julius Maada Bio the winner of 2018 general elections.
Despite it took the courts of Sierra Leone well over three years before it handed down a verdict on Samura’s election petition, there were no protests by the opposition for the delay.
But as the country saw disaster after disaster, Samura stood tall in the middle of those crises as he was always ready to give his support to victims’ families.
Most people in need see him as humble and generous as he willingly shares his little resources with the poor. He doesn’t believe in politics without principles; and wealth without sacrifice.
Meanwhile, his party, All People’s Congress (APC) has this time again elected him as the man to face incumbent president Julius Maada Bio in the upcoming June 24 elections.
But a stain-chain still hangs around Samura Kamara.
The politician is yet to clean his public image since the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), in May 2021, brought a case against him and others for corruption over the renovation of Sierra Leone’s chancery building in New York, USA.
It’s alleged that USD $4 million which was allocated to Sierra Leone New York mission headquarters between 2018 and 2019 couldn’t be accounted for.
Though Samura Kamara might have left Foreign Affairs as minister in 2017 ahead of March 7 2018 elections, he was roped in by the country’s anti-graft agency, ACC.
Whilst others had long been cleared of crimes, APC’s presidential hopeful, Dr. Samura Kamara is still chained as he still awaits what many Sierra Leoneans refer to an overdue verdict.
Samura Kamara, however; is touted by Sierra Leoneans as a man of the moment. But most people say a delayed verdict on his case is used as a tactic to clip his growing feathers of fame among Sierra Leoneans calling for a change on the present falling economy.
But the politician remains absolutely unperturbed over such sad events. He has never called on his supporters to take to the streets when people are victimized by the police as they protest over the persistent hardship in the country.
Neither has he ever sent a message of violence when APC’s Secretary General, Lansana Dumbuya Esq, was allegedly flogged by some government security guards in February 22 this year on the street of Freetown during Samura’s supporter’s peaceful match after his election as presidential aspirant.
As he eyes State House power, he keeps intact a clean track-record of peoples’ trust in him in Sierra Leone and the International Community.
Samura’s latest speech at the United States Congress, during a High Court visit on his corruption allegations, shows in him a global leader than more of a national leader and a leader who is ready to lead.
Since the whole world is in disorder, leaders of fresh ideas and thinking are needed to provide answers to the world’s problems.
Dr. Samura Kamara is not only humble and respected in Sierra Leone and beyond as a quiet man but he has reasons to be silent on distasteful events in his home country.
His eyes are on State House so he remains unperturbed despite he is disturbed.
Samura Kamara stoops down to conquer.