Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Going back down memory lane, Sierra Leoneans could recall the many challenges that the 2023 elections result posed to opposition parties, particularly the All People’s Congress Party.
The backbone of the elections tussle mainly hinged on the fact the outcome was not most had anticipated, and therefore were in complete denial, declaring the process as rigged and compromised. Many developmental partners became worried that this could boil down to unfettered civil unrest if not properly handled.
Refusing to play any active role in governance, including abstaining from Parliament, and the local councils, the opposition APC banked on the intervention of foreign bodies mitigate the situation, and possibly hand back power to them on a silver platter. Multiple coups attempts were foiled including the November 2023 coup, which almost held the Capital Freetown to seige for some couple of hours.
Any uncalculated move could have sent the country into flames and led to economic retrogression.
However, the good judgment of H. E. President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, in consultation with members of his governing party advisers, including the Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh made series of master stroke moves to remedy the situation. Though some political analysts thought the moves were wrong and unwarranted, they were later proved wrong in their prejudice.
To execute this move, President appointed the 36-year old Dr David Moinina Sengeh as his Chief Minister. Yes, he was awarded the World’s Best Minister Award while he was at the ministry of education but to coordinate all of the government that critical time seemed to be a wrong move.
President Bio doubled down on his belief in Dr Sengeh when he appointed him as the lead government Negotiator to discuss with the APC on an agreement that would get the country back to normalcy.
Representing the APC was Dr Samura Kamara who was the Leader of the Party, the Chairman and Secretary General of the Party, several lawyers, and the Mayor of Freetown. The APC put together their fiercest political team to sit across from Dr Sengeh and his team composed of a few deputy ministers and other Party stakeholders. The SLPP faithful held its breath. The APC anticipated victory.
On October 18, 2023, an Agreement for National Unity was signed by Dr Samura Kamara of APC and Dr Sengeh. Contained within that document was a commitment for APC elected members to return to government, the agreement for an independent review of the electoral commission of Sierra Leone, and the set up of a tripartite committee to look at electoral law reforms.
Again, everyone stood still as President Bio received the document from Dr Sengeh with applause. SLPP faithful concluded this was weakness and APC stalwarts bowed their heads in shame as they returned to governance. They felt betrayed. Some argue that this is what spurred the November 2023 coup attempt.
Resolution 3 of the Agreement for National Unity was perhaps the most contentious. A tripartite committee of the government, the APC and the development partners. At times when things felt broken and actually stalled, it was Dr Sengeh who showed up to resolve the bottleneck. Yet again, within the defined timeline, the Tripartite Committee Report with 80 recommendations was signed and received by Dr Sengeh.
He tabled it in cabinet and President Bio doubled down even further. He asked Dr Sengeh to lead on the Implementation of the Tripartite Committee Report recommendations. A steering committee including the majority and minority leaders of Parliament, all city Mayors, civil society and more was established. Dr Sengeh the Chairman.
As the independent review of ECSL and other election management bodies, Dr Sengeh also guided the process and delivered the report to H.E President Bio again.
By this time, the world had started noticing that indeed #DavidDelivers (as coined by social media analyst Vickie Remoe).
Resolution 78 of the Tripartite Report called for a National Dialogue on the type of election Sierra Leone should have. Under his leadership, citizens from all across Sierra Leone have been given a voice on this topic in the most transparent manner. Even the opposition and most critical voices of civil society now publicly acknowledge Dr Sengeh’s mastery of inclusive and participatory governance.
Whatever we thought of President Bio between July 2023 and December 2023 when he not just elevated Dr David Moinina Sengeh as Chief Minister, but placed him at the center of every political and governance negotiation and implementation, was wrong. Today, everyone acknowledges that President Bio is a political genius but what is even more fascinating is that he publicly introduced to us someone who is walking in his steps. However, Dr. Sengeh seems to be walking in those steps in his own shoes and with his own style.
“I am still getting used to it, but next time” Dr Sengeh says “together WeWillDeliver.” the next question I will ask is when, because yes I believe that through this tripartite process, together WeAreDelivering.
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