In his second day in office, President Ernest Bai Koroma summoned all the Ministers of the outgoing Sierra Leone Peoples Party government and addressed them in the cabinet room at State House
He said “I have decided on this meeting because I believe there is a need for us to meet as Sierra Leoneans in the first instance and as people who are expected to provide leadership in this country whether in your capacity as an opposition or as a minister or would be minister I think all of us have a responsibility”
He went on “We have been through an elections, a contest between the two major political parties, the SLPP and the APC and I believe all of us in one way or the other have served our parties to the best of our abilities and I believe it is your civic responsibility to do so.”
The President said “The elections are now over – a decision has been made by the people and I think the politicking should come to an end.”
Now he said “we must come together as people who are expected to provide leadership in this country to work and move the country forward.”
He recalled “as I said in my speech when I was sworn in, it is time for us to put off our party colours we should not see the red anymore, we should not see the green anymore, we should not see the orange anymore we must see Sierra Leoneans.”
“And I believe that we have a responsibility to provide stability in this country and I have taken the oath of office and your safety is my responsibility” he continued.
He added “I think what has happened after the elections I will consider most unfortunate on both sides” adding “we must be seen to be a people that have developed the democratic culture such that we should have a smooth transition.”
President Koroma pointed out “We are not coming in by way of a military coup and nobody should be chased out, nobody should be arrested, nobody should be victimized, and nobody should feel threatened we must ensure a smooth transition and for it to happen we must know and respect the people that have served in the various capacities.”
“You’ve served as Sierra Leoneans and you have contributed your very best we are coming in – we will come in to serve and continue to move the country forward”
“I think you must be given an opportunity to offer your words of advice to handover to the incoming people and to wait out there maybe you will be called upon to serve in any capacity because we are all Sierra Leoneans you have the expertise nobody can take that away from you” he told the Ministers
“So I have invited you all to this meeting to assure that there is no need for anybody to fear the one or two incidents or the threats that we have heard I have instructed the police to handle that situation with vigour. What happened to the party office I think we have denounced. Yesterday (Tuesday) I sent the Vice President and the Inspector General and the Secretary General of the (SLPP) party to inspect and my instructions are very very clear – that matter must be pursued to its logical conclusion and those that are culpable must face the full force of the law.”
In a stern manner he said “we must set clear and bright examples in this country”
He continued to assure the ministers “I want you all to feel free and let us work as Sierra Leoneans politics is over we need to move the country forward and we must do it like civilized people.”
The President pointed out “like I said we are not taking over as a military government we are coming in as a civilian government changing hands with a civilian regime and we must set the precedence of a peaceful transition.”
People he said “must be given room to do their business and prepare themselves for whatever future endeavours that they’ll want to engage in and if there is anything you (ministers) believe I can do in whatever future program you want to engage in feel free to contact me let nobody hesitate we are all Sierra Leoneans and nobody should intimidate anybody.”
He stated “briefly that is why I have invited you to give you the assurances that you can go about your business, you can go to the offices until such time when somebody comes in you shake hands with him and whatever pieces of advice and handing over that you have to give – that is what should happen in our democracy and that is what I believe in”
Outgoing Finance Minister John Benjamin was the first to react. After congratulating the President he said “We fought a democratic contest and you came out as the winner and to us we are all winners”
He stated “We want to assure you that we will remain with you to take part in this democratic transition to make sure that the democratic process continues.”
Mr Benjamin said “The thing that was worrying to all of us you have touched on it, you’ve addressed it and we believe that once security is in place and we are allowed to work in a free environment then you can be assured that we would partake in the full democratic process.”
He went on “Even for yourself it is good for the opposition to be functional because that is what made us do a lot of things right” adding “because when you were functional you made us work hard and if you create an environment where we are functional then you perform better.”
“So all what we would request is create the enabling environment that we created so that we can also function well as a political party in opposition to guide you and to ensure that we provide alternatives for you” he ended.
Then it was the turn of the outgoing Foreign Minister and Presidential running mate Momodu Koroma who said “We want you to know that we actually acknowledge the change that has happened and we as Sierra Leoneans believe that this is healthy for our country and we believe that it is the best way forward to move the country.”
“Today it is APC tomorrow it is SLPP” he added saying “as you said these are the only two parties that have ruled this country and we hope this kind of culture would lead to a prosperous Sierra Leone.”
He assured the President that “There is no question of whether or not the SLPP accepts your Presidency we accept it wholeheartedly and we want to cooperate and we want to function as a viable alternative, as a viable opposition, but we want the environment to be created for that.”
He explained “Some of us returned our official assets because we are under harassment from the public probably a public that is not familiar with the process of a smooth democratic transition” adding that “the impression the public gives is that this is a military coup and people should be harassed to surrender government property.”
He explained further that “On the very first day the results were announced were it not for the military my house would have been looted by bands of youths not the police but bands of youths.”
Mr Koroma expressed his fears that “what is worrying is the silent complicity of the police. I’m afraid to say” he went on “the police who stand there pretend as if nothing is happening and they would not take action this is the most worrying aspect of everything.”
He stated “if you know that the police are there they will take action some of us are brave and bold enough to move around but if you are not sure of the only organ that is supposed to protect your right then …”
Explaining more he said “At the party office I called the Inspector General when the moves started to loot the party office – I called him three times. The first instance I was in the office of the former Vice President the Honourable Solomon Berewa and he said he was going to take action, that was at 10.30am at 12 O’clock I reminded him and he said Chris Charley was moving there with his men at 4 O’clock the place had been looted and I reminded him again and he said “Oh I thought these men were already there” I said they are not there the place had been looted so it is not a question of whether or not he knew – he knew the move was being taken to loot the office or as somebody said yesterday there may be a breakdown in the command chain and therefore he gives instructions and nobody takes them seriously and so things happen the way they do.”
Outgoing Internal Affairs Minister Sidiki Brima also spoke of how he his house was looted and his official car used by the youths to cart his property away.
Outgoing Tourism Minister Okere Adams spoke of how a lady called Kadi Sesay led a band of youths and looted his family Guest House.
The President after listening attentively said “I have heard all of what you have said and the IG is here he too must have heard.”
“The transition” the President said “must go on and we will not have ministers in place for another week or two that is why I believe that the business of government must go on.”
He told the Ministers “you are encouraged to go back to your offices and continue your normal work until such time when a minister will be assigned to your ministry and you will exchange hands and you give the pieces of advice which you think will be relevant.”
For the transition itself he said “we are going to set up a team and this team will be meeting you and the public officials of your ministry to help us prepare a status report of the activities of the ministry because we need to know what we are inheriting, we need to know the state of affairs of the country and I think we can only succeed in that with your support and that is why all of us should be partners in it.”
Turning to the Inspector General, President Koroma said “Mr IG it is now my responsibility to protect the lives and property of every Sierra Leonean not only members of the APC.”
“From this moment” he said “it is no longer the issue of the APC it’s the issue of Sierra Leoneans and it is my responsibility and the police will be put to the test. The Minister must be given their protection” he ordered “they must be given their security not only until the handing over but they are Sierra Leoneans they must continue to enjoy peace and quiet for as long as they live in this country and for as long as it is your responsibility as head of the police to provide that duty.”