As the country is heading to the polls on June 24th, political commentators and analysts are questioning who will save the country from economic hardship and struggle after the June 24th multitier elections to economic prosperity.
So many have questioned between the two popular candidates, incumbent Rtd. Brig. Dr. Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and Technocrat Economist, Dr. Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara of the All Peoples Congress (APC) party who is the lesser evil to lead the nation to prosperity?
However, both Bio and Samura have been described as incompetent to lead Sierra Leone after June 24th.
According to political scientists, incumbent President Bio has failed to deliver based on his 2018 manifesto promises. Bio, they said has frustrated the livelihood of the citizens due to the current economic situation on the ground.
Despite expunging the 1965 obnoxious and draconian public order act from the 1991 Constitution, Mr. Bio has been described as not too democratic who has muzzled free speech by bringing to effect the National Cyber Crime law which these critics cited that officials in his government have been using to muzzle free speech by opposition party members on different social media handles.
On the other hand, Mr. Bio’s abolishment of the death penalty has made him received local and international accolades by non-governmental human rights organizations but in addition to that, Mr. Bio has been described as having a poor human rights record due to the rampant and massive killings of ordinary and innocent citizens most especially opposition members during his term in office.
The sackings of some prominent opposition loyalists holding strategic and sensitive positions during his first term as president have all been considered as not encouraging human rights record.
However, the flagship project of Mr. Bio’s 2018 Manifesto which is the Free and Quality Education made him to gain credence both locally and internationally that has lured donor partners such as DFID, UKAID and the rest to inject hundreds and thousands of US Dollars for the successful implementation of his flagship project. Mr. Bio’s flagship project has been referred to by some school of thoughts as a ‘white horse project’ based on the amount of money parents and guardians are spending to get their children enroll into these government and government assisted schools.
Subsequently, failing to fix ‘a battered economy’ has been a hot potato for Mr. Bio; which voters might use as a yardstick for his second coming or going. Despite the hardship, supporters of President Bio have failed to cast any blame on him and are determined to cast their ballot for him once again. As Sierra Leone is sharply divided on political lines some say there will be no second chance for Bio.
As for Dr. Samura Kamara, even though being a Technocrat, critics have described him as an antagonist of the media who has been cunningly dodging interviews from the press. And that Mr. Samura Kamara has been entrusted with major positions in governance ranging from NPRC, late Pa Kabbah’s SLPP and former President Koroma’s APC; but has not helped significantly to boost the economy during all those eras as a Development Economist.
Mr. Kamara has also been viewed as not having the country at heart due to his lengthy stay in all three successive governments; but did not mend the wounds of the economy, though the country’s GDP was rated as the fastest during his tenure as Minister of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED) under the past government. However, the economy came crumbling down due to the fall in prices of iron ore and the Ebola outbreak that placed the country into austerity.
In spite of the above reasons, Dr. Samura Kamara has been seen as an economic savior by his loyal and faithful supporters who believed that, it is only Mr. Kamara that can salvage this nation from economic bondage.
Going further, Dr. Samura Kamara’s delay to bring out his 2023 campaign Manifesto toppled with his failure to sell himself to the international world in three successive interviews with the BBC and his incapability to articulate proper is causing panic for his party.
In conclusion, the two presidential flagbearers have been viewed as necessary evils but the decision is now left with voters to choose the lesser evil come June 24th 2023 with barely two weeks left to the polls.