Concord Times (Freetown)
Mohamed Vandi
28 June 2008
Kenema — All Peoples Congress (APC) aspirant for the Kenema mayorship race yesterday told AM Live, a popular breakfast show on eastern community radio, that his party "will stay in power for twenty-five years." Karefa Kanneh said after that his party would handover power to the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP).
He enthused that the two are the only recognised political parties in Sierra Leone, adding that when they would have ruled for the stated years, SLPP would be given a chance to come in and continue with their good work.
Kanneh said he stood firmly by his statements and that "councils in that city would not be funded if people and the district failed to vote in APC candidates in the July 5 Local council elections." "The APC is a credible political party that can live up to the expectations of the citizenry and the international community. We have inherited several problems from the past government, so we really need some time to put the country on the development map. Our vision as a party is to redeem our people from this economic misery," he said.
However, secretary general of SLPP Jacob Jusu Saffa said "Kanneh is stupid and does not seem to understand how government works." But Kanneh continued to make claims, saying SLPP councilors did nothing to have qualified Kenema as city; a township which status apparently came with the successful outcome of the 2004 local government elections, the first in over three decades.
"Look at the terrible roads we have in this of our so called city. No development actually has qualified this town to be a city," he said adding that if elected he will beautify Kenema to the status of Freetown.
Meanwhile, Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) has also reacted strongly.
Its publicity secretary, Mohamed Bangura retorted that the aspirants' statements were just too silly because there are three recognised political parties in parliament and about four parties are now contesting the local council elections.
"He is a political nonentity," he stated.
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