The newly elected executive of the All Political Parties Youth Association (APPYA) has called for a peaceful 2018 elections. The unveiling of the new executive took place at the conference room at the Political Party Registration Commission (PPRC) Head Office at Tower Hill in Freetown on Monday 27 November 2017.
The APPYA executive currently is made up of 13 young political party representatives to spearhead the mantle of young people when it comes to politics. The representative of the All People Congress (APC) was absent during the convention.
The Publicity Secretary of APPYA, Abdul K.A. Kamara, who also represents the United Democratic Movement (UDM), said, “The reason for such a gathering is to showcase our executive to the public and to tell young people that they now have vibrant and energetic people to speak on their behalf in those various political parties.” He called on young people to refrain from violence. Even after the 2018 elections they will continue to work as an association to curtail violence.
The Secretary General of APPYA, Samuel P.O. Macauley, who is a representative from the People Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) said in order to change the mindset of young people with regards to violence is to explain to them about their roles and responsibilities in society. He added,“It is high time young people start to take leadership positions, so we are advocating for political parties to give young people symbols with regards to the 2018 elections.”
The president of APPYA, Mohamed Jalloh, a representative from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), said as a political youth association they will engage the young people of Sierra Leone, before, during and after elections in order to spread non-violence messages.
According to a press release issued by APPYA, they are willing to engage vulnerable youths on the importance of peaceful elections, advocate for more symbols for youth, level playing field for female youth and youth with disability and campaign against hate speech.
A representative from one of the clique groups known as East Hood, Abu Daramy, said, “We will take the message to our colleagues with regards to non-violence as we approach the 2018 elections. We have been used all this while but this time around such things should not happen.”
A representative from the National Grand Coalition (NGC), Ishmael Kallon and a representative from the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Emerson Kamara, referred to the youth as the backbone of development and called on them to stand up against violence.
MJB/27/11/17
By Mohamed J. Bah
Tuesday November 28, 2017.