The All Peoples Congress (APC) aspirant of Constituency 001 in Kailahun District Haja Nasratu Jalloh-Ngobeh has said the community is calling for MAC-P so that people will live in peace as well as having a peaceful bye-election.
She made this statement during an interview with Awoko after reports of violence on Sunday during the APC rally.
Haja Nasratu Jalloh said on Saturday, the SLPP had their rally and the entire district was calm and peaceful as they made it very clear to their supporters to stay indoors and allow their opponents to perform their rights.
“On Sunday it was our own turn to rally and as soon we started moblising to start our rally and campaign it was evident that the SLPP were not happy because they were shocked to see the crowds of people coming from all over the constituency in their red.”
She said it was a shock for them and they started mobilising to obstruct the rally. Haja Nasaratu Jalloh said as they were prossessing through Gbanyawalu, the SLPP started pelting stones on them. “Ministers Maya Kaikai, Kortu and other APC big guns that were present immediately called the Local Unit Commander (LUC) Gbenya who arrived with his men. To our great shock, whilst we were restraining our supporters, the police fired teargas on us instead of the direction where the stone was coming.”
She said this made Mr Maya Kaikai very furious and called AIG Karrow Kamara to come and salvage the situation that the LUC has caused. She averred that her own supporters too started defending themselves by returning the stones to the direction where they were coming from.
Haja Nasratu said that the SLPP candidate has been boasting that they don’t even have to campaign because Kailahun is their stronghold, but what she saw on Sunday made them angry and they have planned to make sure they disrupt all APC campaign.
The APC aspirant reiterated that even yesterday Monday when the SLPP rally was on they went to her house and abused her, President Koroma and her family as well as all the APC officials from Kailahun.
“I told my supporters to stay put and allow them have a field day. The security personnel assigned to me by AIG Karrow Kamara said they will only take orders from LUC Gbenya, and when the SLPP supporters removed all the barricades in the street where I live they security personnel were no where to be seen.”
She said she has many things to campaign with as the APC government has constructed the main road from Kenema to Kailahun and the township roads, which the people are enjoying. She said all what Navo Kaikai is telling the people are that Kailahun is the SLPP strong hold and they should always vote for SLPP.
Haja Nasratu Jalloh-Ngobeh averred that LUC Gbenya is bias and they want a peaceful and quiet elections, so they are calling for MAC-P to be in charge of security so that the people will have time go about their business and markets will be conducted peacefully.
She said yesterday Monday most of the community people had to stay indoors because of the rudeness that was exhibited by the SLLP during their rally that saw the police firing teargas in front of her house to disperse them as they were abusing and threatening to burn her house.
On the other hand the SLPP aspirant Navo Kaikai however said that, after a successful launch of her manifesto on Saturday, she was discussing with her supporters in her house when they were informed that John, brother of the SLPP Regional Chairman Alex Bonapha had been attacked and beaten up by some guys purported to be supporters of the APC candidate.
She said they had to rush to the scene and since the people were still beating the man, “I then called the Local Unit Commander, but before the police could arrive the [APC] supporters continued with the beating until John was rescued by some neighbours”.
She added that the APC boys started advancing towards “us and this time with stones in their hands and they went about pelting stones on the mosque even the house of Mr Banya was not spared as his glass window was broken. During that time two other guys; Ansu Panda and Nabieu went in a jeep and headed straight for my house, requesting that they want to talk to me, but my boys stopped them”
Kaikai disclosed that it was only after some ten minutes that the police came to their help and even in the presence of the police, the guys were still throwing stones on them “immediately the police arrived they could not quell the situation (so) they resulted in firing teargas canister on us. But instead of the police fire the tear gas on the protesters they turned it on my supporters”.
The SLPP aspirant disclosed that situation was like for the whole of the evening because whenever the police leave the area the APC boys will regroup and launch an attack. She stated that later in the evening Assistant Inspector General of Police Karrow Kamara arrived and enquired why no arrest was made. She said Karrow ordered for a police escort “for me, but knowing the police and their commitment to governments I refused to have any police security”. She added that however the two parties will be signing a Memoradum of Understanding for a peaceful conduct of the bye- election.
Efforts were made to talk to the LUC on his phone but he said he cannot comment since he was having a meeting with his boss.
The Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) has roundly condemned the act of violence in both Lunsar and Kailahun.
In a press release issued yesterday the PPRC said “The Commission vehemently condemns such dastardly actions by political party supporters/members as it will daunt the growth of democracy and the country as a whole.”
The release went on “Such conduct by party members/supporters are superfluous, unacceptable and very much against the tenet of good governance and democracy. Politics should be devoid of violence, thuggery and unpatriotic activities.”
The PPRC called “on the Sierra Leone Police to investigate and bring to book those involved in the incidents in Lunsar and Kailahun District.”
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