By mohamedj.bah@awokonewspaper.sl
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – The Director of the Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM-SL), Rugiatu Neneh Turay has described the burning of her school bus as a form of intimidation in holding her back from her political beliefs and aspirations.
The Former Minister of Social Welfare and Children Affairs under the APC led government was speaking to Journalists in relation to the destruction of property in Port Loko.
She pointed out that the school bus was bought by a humanitarian some six years ago and donated to AIM-SL, to support Ebola orphans with transportation to the Three Miles School, which she personally constructed.
According to Madam Turay most of the children attending the school are Ebola orphans and victims of gender based violence, whom she has been supporting all these years.
Aside from being a school bus, the Former Deputy Minister maintained that the bus was also largely used for free by the community people especially religious organizations for their programs.
For the past six years, the bus used to park at the Police Station, with no cause for alarm but said she was shocked to get such devastating news about a week ago, about the burning of her bus.
Prior to such an incident, she said the suspect sent an audio threatening her because she is supporting her husband’s political aspiration, which she sees nothing wrong about in a free and democratic state like ours.
“This school bus burnt by hooligans was also used by the people in and out of Port Loko District to attend marriages, religious gatherings and other activities free of cost. She noted that not only the poor orphans or students have been deprived but all of us as a nation “because some of the people in Kailahun had at one point in time asked for this bus and I gave it to them” Madam Neneh Turay said.
Madam Turay said the act of burning properties belonging to educational and poor orphan students is the most unreasonable behaviour someone should be thinking of.
“I feel frustrated and intimated but not discouraged. Why would people even think of destroying properties belonging to an educational institution of their children? Your children, cousins, and brothers are attending my school and they use this bus for free, why target my property? This act has nothing to do with politics and it is not done as a show of support for Dr Samura Kamara. It is an act of terrorism” she averred. MJB/4/1/2022