From Council Flat to Chaos: How a Londoner Became President of Sierra Leone, and Why It Was Doomed from the Start

Who the cap fits, let HIM/HER wear it!

By Reggie Cole | 24th August 2024

A Disconnect from Sierra Leone's Reality. A man who lived in a London council flat for 22 years, unemployed and seemingly disconnected from the everyday struggles of making ends meet, somehow rises to become the President of Sierra Leone.

Imagine this: a man who lived in a London council flat for 22 years, unemployed and seemingly disconnected from the everyday struggles of making ends meet, somehow rises to become the President of Sierra Leone.

At first glance, it sounds like a modern fairy tale—a story of unlikely triumph. But what has followed is anything but a fairy tale. Today, the country finds itself in chaos—economically crippled, politically fractured, and socially volatile. How did we get here, and why was this outcome so predictable?

A Disconnect from Sierra Leone's Reality

Sierra Leone Political Map — Dstrict and Chiefdoms — Source: Statistics SL

For over two decades, this individual was living far away from the streets of Freetown, instead experiencing life in London—specifically, in a council flat funded by the UK welfare system. Now, this is not to undermine the struggles of anyone who has faced unemployment or economic hardship. However, governing a nation like Sierra Leone demands more than sympathy—it demands acute, hands-on knowledge of the country’s unique struggles.

The Sierra Leonean people suffer daily from failing infrastructure, chronic poverty, and a devastating history of corruption and tribalism. How can someone who spent years unemployed in a foreign country, insulated from these issues, have any real understanding of the realities facing the ordinary Sierra Leonean? Leadership isn’t something you can grasp from afar. It requires being on the ground, living the struggles, and engaging deeply with the people. This individual’s detachment from these issues left him unprepared to govern effectively.

Lack of Leadership Experience

Leadership, especially on a national level, requires years of experience, decision-making skills, and the ability to navigate complex and sensitive issues. For someone who has been unemployed for over 20 years, the lack of experience in managing even small teams or resources should be a red flag, let alone handling a nation. Running a country like Sierra Leone demands a grasp of everything from economic policy to social justice, international diplomacy to healthcare reform. This role is no place for someone learning on the job. Yet, here we are, watching the country spiral into chaos because of a profound lack of preparedness in the highest office.

Misalignment with the People

Being detached from Sierra Leone for so long, this individual could not possibly understand the heartbeat of the nation. Sierra Leone is a complex country with deep-rooted tribalism, economic hardships, and a fragile political structure. The people’s needs are diverse and urgent: better healthcare, education, reliable infrastructure, and jobs. A leader without intimate knowledge of these realities is bound to be misaligned with the needs of the people. Governance requires connection and empathy—qualities best fostered by living among and understanding the people you aim to serve. In this case, living abroad for decades only created a massive gulf between the leader and the nation.

National Stability Requires Expertise

The truth is simple: governance requires expertise, not just in politics but also in economics, law, and social reform. An inexperienced leader is bound to make critical missteps. Running a country is not like running a household—it requires a strategic approach to problem-solving, international diplomacy, and an understanding of complex systems. When someone with little to no relevant experience steps into such a role, chaos is inevitable. And today, that chaos is Sierra Leone’s reality.

The Predictable Downfall

In the end, Sierra Leone’s current predicament was predictable from the start.

You cannot lead a country into prosperity with a complete disconnect from its history and problems, nor can you tackle tribalism, poverty, and corruption without a deep understanding of the fabric of the nation. Sierra Leone deserved better leadership—leadership rooted in knowledge, experience, and a genuine connection with its people.

What we are seeing today is the consequence of placing an unprepared individual in a position of immense power. The lesson for all of us is clear: leadership matters, and in a country as fragile as Sierra Leone, it’s not something we can afford to get wrong.

The Proliferation of Places of Worship

The Rwandan government clamped down on more than 5,600 churches, including 100 cave churches.

By Theo Edwards

Rwanda: August 14, 2024: The Rwandan government clamped down on more than 5,600 churches, including 100 cave churches. The reason; is the failure to comply with safety and health regulations, such as poor soundproofing and the transactional nature of many places of worship.

Rwanda has progressively been implementing a law passed in 2018 to regulate religious organizations. The law requires religious leaders to have theological training before operating a church and mandates the RGB to inspect the physical safety of the buildings housing the churches.

This recent move represents the most significant enforcement since the 2018 law regulating places of worship was implemented. When the law was enacted, approximately 700 churches were closed.

In a statement, RGB said that the inspection focuses on verifying that religious organizations have registration documents issued by the board. The churches also need to show letters of collaboration with the district authorities. 

“Relevant authorities will continue to collaborate with religious leaders to promote transformational development while adhering to the laws and regulations governing faith-based organizations and ensuring that prayer houses/buildings meet legal standards,” read the statement issued on August 1.

Believers worship during a Sunday service at an Anglican church in the Kacyiru, Rwanda, on Feb. 16, 2019. | The Christian Post/Samuel Smith

'There should be an intentional willingness to comply with the law. When we register faith-based organizations, we ask them to provide their structure. The education requirement is primarily targeted at the top personnel in the organizational structure,' clarified Kaitesi.

A Few More Points on Africa And The Rotating Presidency of The United Nations Security Council

August 2024

"Being on the UN Security Council has nothing to do with any so-called unique status that Sierra Leone holds at the UN, neither has it anything to do with Maada Bio and SLPP’s leadership credentials" ~ Chernoh Alpha M. Bah — Africanist Press.

The presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the Member States names.

By Chernoh Alpha M. Bah — Africanist Press

Here are the points:

A few days ago, we published historical data showing that being on the Security Council and sharing the one-month presidency of the Council is a normal ritual among UN member states. Being on the UN Security Council has nothing to do with any so-called unique status that Sierra Leone holds at the UN, neither has it anything to do with Maada Bio and SLPP’s leadership credentials.

The presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the Member States names.

Since 1946, African countries have served as presidents of the UN Security Council for a total of 141 times. This includes countries that are led by dictators of all descriptions. Mozambique is the latest African country that recently served a term in May 2024. They presided over Security Council meetings with a monthly program that had far more events than the current August program that Sierra Leone is moderating.

You didn’t get to hear any noise about Mozambique at the Security Council in May 2024 from Maada Bio and his brigade because they wanted to pretend that Sierra Leone was in fact the first African country to be at the UN Security Council. They also want you to believe that Maada Bio is the only African president that is presiding over a UN Security Council meeting. All the propaganda and deception around the UN Security Council is being executed by the Bio brigade and its allies in a desperate effort to legitimize Bio’s already troubled hijacking of state power in Sierra Leone following the controversial June 2023 elections.

In fact, in the 141 times that African countries have been on the Security Council, the meetings were MOSTLY and ALMOST always chaired by either the designated Permanent Representatives to the United Nations of the said countries, or in certain cases, the countries are represented by their foreign ministers. The presidents of such countries seldomly attend these ritualized rotating proceedings.

Over the years, a few African dictators (mostly politicians with troubled political situations in their countries) have in some cases hijacked the rotating UN Security Council presidential role from their Ambassadors or foreign ministers, and choose to play president of the Security Council for one session or more sessions of talk shows during the tenures of their countries at the Security Council. These African dictators that joined Security Council talk shows in recent years include Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast in December 2018, Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in February 2019, and Blaise Campaore of Burkina Faso in September 2008. Maada Bio of Sierra Leone is the latest African politician with a questionable presidential legitimacy to join this list of African dictators who likewise trooped to the Security Council with the intent of laundering soiled presidential legitimacies.

Chernoh Alpha M. Bah — Africanist Press

To further illustrate this, let us take the case of Ivory Coast’s Alhassane Ouattara who presided over the Security Council talk show in December 2018, and in December 2020, he enthroned himself as a third term president in Ivory Coast. His colleague and friend, Blaise Campaore had earlier led the Security Council talk show in September 2008, and in 2010, he also controversially declared himself president following a sham of an election. Few years later, Campaore then tried to amend the country’s constitution to extend his 27-year dictatorship but he was eventually kicked out of power by the young people of Burkina Faso in 2014.

These are just the few examples of the handful of African dictators who saw the Security Council rotating presidency as a launchpad to legitimize and advance authoritarianism in Africa.

But among the few African dictators who hijacked the roles of their foreign ministers or ambassadors to play the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, Maada Bio of Sierra Leone is the least developed by all standards of measurement. Maada Bio can’t fluently read a written script; Bio is the least sophisticated among Africa’s dictators; and Bio is also the least exposed intellectually and politically.

I will stop here for now until there is a need to further correct the amateur propaganda of the Maada Bio brigade and it’s vacillating allies within the rank opportunists of the compromised opposition in Sierra Leone.

Few days ago, we circulated the list of African countries that have presided over the Security Council since 1946. The list includes the names of people who represented their individual countries during the one month presidential tenures of their countries.

We encourage you to read the list and check the records to see who among Africa’s presidents have used their tax-payers money to blow the loud empty trumpets at the UN Security Council over the years. Then also check the political and economic records of those politicians in their countries, and the political and social upheavals that followed their tenures at the Security Council.

Knowing the past is essential to knowing the present, and to potentially plan for the future.

The list of African countries at the UN Security Council has been circulated on the Africanist Press WhatsApp Forums. Feel free to circulate the list.

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Africa Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want

African Union (AU)

Agenda 2063 encapsulates not only Africa’s Aspirations for the Future but also identifies key Flagship Programmes that can boost Africa’s economic growth and development and lead to the rapid transformation of the continent.

Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want

AGENDA 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress, and collective prosperity pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance The genesis of Agenda 2063 was the realization by African leaders that there was a need to refocus and reprioritize Africa’s agenda from the struggle against apartheid and the attainment of political independence for the continent which had been the focus of The Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the precursor of the African Union; and instead to prioritize inclusive social and economic development, continental and regional integration, democratic governance and peace and security amongst other issues aimed at repositioning Africa to becoming a dominant player in the global arena.

As an affirmation of their commitment to support Africa’s new path for attaining inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development, African heads of state and government signed the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the formation of the OAU /AU in May 2013. The declaration marked the re-dedication of Africa towards the attainment of the Pan African Vision of An integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena and Agenda 2063 is the concrete manifestation of how the continent intends to achieve this vision within a 50 year period from 2013 to 2063. The Africa of the future was captured in a letter presented by the former Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlaminin Zuma.

They are coming!

The need to envision a long-term 50-year development trajectory for Africa is important as Africa needs to revise and adapt its development agenda due to ongoing structural transformations; increased peace and reduction in the number of conflicts; renewed economic growth and social progress; the need for people-centered development, gender equality and youth empowerment; changing global contexts such as increased globalization and the ICT revolution; the increased unity of Africa which makes it a global power to be reckoned with and capable of rallying support around its own common agenda; and emerging development and investment opportunities in areas such as agri-business, infrastructure development, health and education as well as the value addition in African commodities

Agenda 2063 encapsulates not only Africa’s Aspirations for the Future but also identifies key Flagship Programmes which can boost Africa’s economic growth and development and lead to the rapid transformation of the continent.

Agenda 2063 also identifies key activities to be undertaken in its 10-year Implementation Plans which will ensure that Agenda 2063 delivers both quantitative and qualitative Transformational Outcomes for Africa’s people

Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want

Freetown: The Cleansing of Society’ Wickedness and Moral Evil

July 2024: The perimeter fence of the Siaka Steven’s National Stadium is currently under rehabilitation by the Chinese GCCIC Construction Company. However, it has collapsed, resulting in one fatality. This incident occurred in the Grey Bush area, opposite the cemetery.

By Theo Edwards for YAME

Community after community is nothing but calamity and ruin (Old Testament biblical reference)

The skies have unleashed a deluge upon Freetown, with a relentless downpour almost daily since the beginning of July.

“I make light and create darkness. I give blessings and create disasters. I, the LORD, do all these things” ~ Isaiah 45:7 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW).

It is unclear whether this is a result of climate change, but ‘Freetonians,’ as the city mayor, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, often refers to the city's residents, has likely contributed to its own demise through environmental mismanagement, urban planning, housing, and a political system that has not effectively addressed the issue since the 80s that we so deserve this wrath.

 READ: Sierra Leone Unapproved Construction: Juba in Peril

I give blessings and create disasters ~ Isaiah 45:7

Freetown, Sierra Leone has been grappling with an unprecedented onslaught of torrential rains since the beginning of July. The city, often affectionately referred to as home to "Freetonians" by Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, is now bearing the brunt of a crisis that is a complex interplay of climate change and human-induced factors

The impact of human activities on flooding in Freetown cannot be overstated. Deforestation has led to reduced vegetation cover, increasing soil erosion and surface runoff. Urbanization has exacerbated the issue by creating impervious surfaces that prevent water infiltration and encroaching on floodplains, resulting in heightened flood risk. Inadequate drainage systems, due to lack of maintenance and capacity, are overwhelmed by increased water volume. Furthermore, the absence of flood protection measures, such as levees, retention ponds, and early warning systems, leaves the city extremely vulnerable to flooding.

The city's vulnerability is exacerbated by a host of human-made issues

Freetown's Deluge: A Perfect Storm of Climate Change and Human Error

Climate change, a global phenomenon, has manifested in Freetown as increasingly erratic and intense weather patterns. Rising global temperatures are altering precipitation cycles, leading to more frequent and heavier downpours. The city's vulnerability is exacerbated by a host of human-made issues.

Environmental mismanagement is a critical factor. Deforestation, rampant and unchecked, has stripped the land of its natural defenses against erosion. The once-protective forests that absorbed rainwater are now absent, leaving the city exposed to the full force of the downpours. Poor waste management practices further compound the problem, as clogged drains and waterways exacerbate flooding.

Urban planning, or rather the lack thereof, has also contributed to the crisis. Rapid urbanization without corresponding infrastructure development has led to haphazard construction and encroachment on floodplains. Buildings erected in vulnerable areas are now at the mercy of the elements. The city's inability to cope with the increased volume of water is a direct result of this shortsighted planning.

READ: Sierra Leone: Small Country, Massive Suffering

Connaught Hospital, a key tertiary government referral hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone underwater. The lack of planning and targeted investments had compounded the impact of rural-to-urban migration on the environment, housing, transport, sanitation, and health. Freetown needs deliverance from its wicked ways on the environment we have created and the moral evil we so glorify even though we are well aware of the dangers

Political neglect cannot be overlooked. For decades, the issue of urban flooding has been a recurring problem, yet successive governments have failed to implement comprehensive and sustainable solutions. Corruption, inefficiency, and a lack of political will have hindered progress. The result is a city ill-prepared to face the challenges posed by climate change.

The impact of rural-to-urban migration on the environment, housing, transport, sanitation, and health is worsened by the lack of planning and targeted investments. Freetown urgently needs to address the environmental challenges we have contributed to and the moral issues we continue to overlook, despite being fully aware of the risks

It's important to note that while climate change is a global issue, its impacts are felt most acutely by vulnerable populations in cities like Freetown. The convergence of climate change and human-induced factors has created a perfect storm, leaving residents to suffer the consequences. To address this crisis effectively, a multi-faceted approach is required, encompassing climate adaptation measures, improved urban planning, investment in infrastructure, and strong governance. The future of Freetown depends on it.

Feds in San Diego Allege Sierra Leone Man Heads Massive Human Smuggling Operation

Federal authorities allege Abdul Karim Conteh of Sierra Leone coordinated the transportation and smuggling of thousands of migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East through Mexico into the U.S.

U.S. Department of the Treasury: Federal authorities allege Abdul Karim Conteh and his wife, Veronica Roblero Pivaral, ran a massive human-smuggling organization.

By ALEX RIGGINS | alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com | The San Diego Union-Tribune | UPDATED: July 18, 2024 at 4:41 p.m.

Federal authorities on Thursday announced sanctions and criminal charges against an alleged Tijuana-based international criminal group suspected of smuggling thousands of undocumented migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East into the United States.

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Abdul Karim Conteh, 42, of Sierra Leone

An indictment against the group’s alleged leader, 42-year-old Sierra Leone national Abdul Karim Conteh, was unsealed Wednesday in federal court in San Diego. The indictment alleges that over a period of several years, Conteh and his Mexican wife, 25-year-old Veronica Roblero Pivaral, conspired with others to move the migrants from their home countries to South and Central America, and then north through Mexico to the U.S. border.

“Defendant Abdul Karim Conteh oversaw and assisted with their surreptitious and unlawful entry into the United States by various means, including the use of ladders and tunnels,” the indictment alleges. “… The migrants paid money, often tens of thousands of dollars, to be transported.”

Mexican authorities arrested Conteh on July 11 in Tijuana, and the U.S. is pursuing his extradition, according to the Department of Justice. Roblero, his wife, remains at large.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced Thursday that it had sanctioned the group, which it dubbed the Abdul Karim Conteh Human Smuggling Organization, as well as Conteh, his wife and two others. The Treasury Department said the organization provided migrants with fraudulent documents; leveraged the U.S. financial system to receive payments; transported migrants to the border and advised them on how to cross; and maintained affiliations with other groups in other countries who helped funnel the migrants to Mexico.

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Veronica Roblero Pivaral, the 25-year-old Mexican wife of Conteh, remains at large.

The Treasury Department said that while Conteh was the leader of the group, his wife “plays a variety of critical roles in the organization, ranging from driving migrants to the U.S. border to receiving payments for smuggling operations.” Also sanctioned were Issa Kamara, from Sierra Leone, and Pasaman Francis Marin Abbe Pidoukou, from Togo. They allegedly helped facilitate the transport of migrants for the group.

The indictment unsealed Wednesday names Conteh and Roblero, but the names of additional defendants remain redacted. It was unclear if Kamara and Pidoukou were among the others charged in the indictment.

Brian Nelson, the Treasury Department’s under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement that Thursday’s sanctions “(disrupt) the ability of those seeking to exploit and endanger desperate individuals in search of a better life for themselves and their loved ones.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland described Conteh’s alleged group in a statement as “prolific (and) exploitive” and promised to hold Conteh accountable.

“Human smugglers exploit the vulnerable for profit,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. “… We are bringing the full force of the law to bear against the individuals and their organizations that perpetrate this heinous crime. We couple our unrelenting efforts with this warning to would-be migrants everywhere: do not believe the smuggler’s lies and risk your lives in their ruthless hands.”

The indictment alleges the smuggled migrants came from Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Somalia, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Ethiopia and Egypt. The Treasury Department said others came from Russia, China, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The indictment alleges they were transported to the U.S. border from varying starting locations, including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala.

The indictment charges Conteh, Roblero, and the other unnamed defendants with conspiracy to smuggle migrants into the U.S. That charge carries a 10-year maximum prison sentence. Conteh is also charged with three additional counts of unlawful smuggling of migrants for financial gain.

The alleged criminal group headed by Conteh is the fourth large-scale, transnational human-smuggling organization targeted by Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions since last June.

Last week, the Treasury Department sanctioned Tren de Aragua, which originated as a Venezuelan prison gang but has allegedly grown into a large group that specializes in human smuggling while also engaging in drug trafficking, money laundering, and other crimes.

In December the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Malas Mañas, an alleged criminal group based in Sonora, Mexico, south of Arizona. The group is allegedly engaged in human smuggling and drug trafficking and has suspected ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. In June 2023, sanctions were imposed against the Hernandez Salas transnational criminal organization, an alleged human-smuggling group operating in Mexicali, south of Imperial County.

Originally Published: July 18, 2024 at 4:29 p.m.

President Bio Spent Over Le832 Billion in 5 Years

Embrace the NEW DIRECTION—

July 18, 2024

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Over US$470 million (four-hundred-seventy million United States dollars at the current exchange rate.)

“Corruption Undermines Social Development and Stymied Inclusive Economic Growth.”

— The White Papers, September 26, 2020

READ: "We have to draw the line... we cannot be this corrupt as a nation and expect to develop," President Bio told the BBC's Umaru Fofana in Freetown.

President Bio, who once touted his anti-corruption efforts when he first took office, has proven to be the most corrupt leader in our country's history. Sierra Leoneans cannot idly stand by and allow these corrupt individuals to undermine and damage our nation.

Embrace the NEW DIRECTION—

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Thomas Dixon on 'X' formerly Twitter

If you are wondering why the respected Auditor General Lara Taylor-Pearce and her Deputy Tamba Momoh were recommended to be removed from their position by a “Kangaroo” Tribunal, you must follow the expenses of President Bio under various names.

State House and Lodge Expenses for 5 years is almost Le400B, and then you have Expenses Office of the President, which is also a little over 400 billion.

What comes to mind is what is the difference between State House & State Lodge Expenses and that of the Expenses Office of the President???

It didn’t end there. There is what is called the special warrant office of the President, which is over Le50B.

These figures don’t include the over $28M, the Govt of President Bio spent on overseas traveling.

It could be recalled that in 2019 a Finance Act was sent to Parliament which had a clause that money to the President should be unchecked and unaudited but for the hue and cry of the people, it didn’t stand.

Sierra Leoneans are still waiting for the contended tribunal report on the Auditor General to be made public.

If you are wondering why the respected Auditor General #LaraTaylorPearce and her Deputy #TambaMomoh were recommended to be removed from their position by a “Kangaroo” Tribunal, you must just follow the expenses of @PresidentBio under various names.

State House and Lodge… pic.twitter.com/OaPNHzqB7V

— thomasdixon (@thomasd05987132) July 18, 2024

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RELATED

Sierra Leoneans are still waiting for the contended tribunal report on the Auditor General to be made public.

Response to Press Release from State House dated Tuesday, 9th July, 2024 — Lara Taylor-Pearce(Mrs.)

Lara Taylor-Pearce(Mrs.); Former Auditor General, Sierra Leone

Response to Press Release from State House

Click here

Response to Press Release from State House dated Tuesday, 9th July, 2024 — Tamba Momoh

Tamba Momoh; Former Deputy Auditor General, Sierra Leone

Response to Press Release from State House

Click Here

Many Sierra Leoneans are deeply troubled by the President's recent recommendation to remove from office the suspended Auditor General, Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce, and her deputy, Tamba Momoh. This decision is being widely criticized for lacking legitimacy and has ignited significant public outrage.

“Helen Clark, the former New Zealand Prime Minister, and UNDP Administrator, also the Ad Global Ambassador for Supreme Audit Institution Independence appointed by #Intosai Donor Co-operation”

— commented on her LinkedIn page

Helen Clark, the former New Zealand Prime Minister, and UNDP Administrator, also the Ad Global Ambassador for Supreme Audit Institution Independence appointed by #Intosai Donor Co-operation

Helen Clark IDC Goodwill Ambassador for SAI Independence — The INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation

"I am shocked to learn that the #SierraLeone Government is moving to remove the Auditor General and Deputy Auditor General from office.

No valid reason has been given for this extraordinary move. These senior officials must have statutory independence to fulfill their important functions of holding governments to account and scrutinizing the use of public money.

These senior officials should not be subjected to arbitrary removal.

Parliament will now review the proposal to remove the AG. It should act in an independent way to review the matter, and not hesitate to oppose an unfounded request by the Government for the AG's removal. The Audit Service Board should also act independently in reviewing the proposal to remove the Deputy AG."

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What are your thoughts on this?

Feel free to join the conversation by posting your comment! We encourage readers across the political spectrum to participate. We hold Space for everyone on YAME. yame[dot]space. You can post comments as anonymous /guest.

Liberia: President BoaKai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung Declared Assets Publicly

Section 10.2 of the Code of Conduct for Government Officials and Employees did not make it compelling for designated officials to make public their declarations

Theo Edwards for YAME

Transparency strengthens public trust and underscores unyielding dedication to rooting corruption and fostering a climate of openness and accountability, signaling an era of responsible and conscientious leadership. The law only says public officers should declare their assets; they don't need to make them public.

President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung did something unusual in Liberian politics by publicly disclosing details of their asset declarations, in response to increasing pressure to fulfill a major campaign promise.

MONROVIA — President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung

"The requirement for public officials to disclose their assets according to Section 10.2 of the Code of Conduct for Government Officials and Employees emphasizes the significance of transparency and accountability in governance. However, the law does not mandate designated officials and employees to make their declarations public."

BoaKai emphasized that by making his assets declaration publicly available, he aims to set a compelling example for public officials and citizens alike, highlighting the importance of accountability and ethical leadership.

READ: Liberia's new President Joseph N. BoaKai

Some supporters of Mr. Boakai and his deputy remember that then-President George Weah did not publicly declare his assets despite facing criticism.

Weah, during his presidency, noted that disclosing his assets to the public could endanger him and his family, especially his children.

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai

Mr. Boakai, a former vice president under Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for 12 years, ran an anti-corruption-based campaign that earned him his electoral victory over Mr. Weah and his Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) in 2023.

Declaration of Assets

According to the information published for Mr. Boakai, the value of his total assets is put at $1,171,919.60, including cash on hand: $5,750, cash in the bank: $61,295.96, real properties: $766,391.07, personal properties: $212,400, and other assets $126,082.57 and a total net worth of $970,419.60.

Among the notable assets revealed by President Boakai, a lifelong agriculturist is his ownership of cattle valued at US$16,000. The president also reveals he has pigs valued at US$6,400.

Vice President Koung, in his declared assets are worth more than 7 million. As an elected representative of District One in Nimba County, the former co-chair of the lucrative Ways, Means, and Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, he is one person who comes with a heavy burden to the high office as he stands accused of engaging in shady business deals over the years.

During his term, Koung, along with a few lawmakers, stood accused of manipulating the national budget to amass wealth. Some say Koung, like Boakai, might be under-declaring what he has acquired over the years. They are insinuating the Vice President might likely hide many of his assets in Nimba County.

Public sentiment

To many in a country like Liberia, to be worth nearly One million United States Dollars is not something ordinary because on record, government salary is very meager, and no sincere public official has been able to acquire a wealth of $970,000.

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Demonstrating a dedication to transparency and ethical leadership, Boakai's actions distinguish him from others. However, many question the President's declared assets, which appear excessive and contradict his claims of serving the public with sincerity and honesty during his twelve years as Vice President of Liberia under the government of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. This government was previously deemed highly corrupt by its former Auditor General, John S. Morlu, II.

What are your thoughts on this?

Feel free to join the conversation by posting your comment! We encourage readers across the political spectrum to participate. We hold Space for everyone on YAME. yame [dot] space. You can post comments as anonymous /guest.

‘Bring Hard Justice’: Liberia Civil War Survivors Welcome War Crimes Court

President Joseph Boakai signs an order promising the establishment of a war crimes court in efforts to bring justice 21 years after the conflict

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21 Years After Liberia Conflict, President Boakai Signs an Order Promising the Establishment of a War Crimes Court in Efforts to Bring Justice to the Civil War Survivors.

By Dounard Bondo | 18 June 2024

In a photo taken during the second civil war in 2003, a Liberian child soldier carries a gun in Monrovia [Nic Bothma/EPA]

Monrovia, Liberia – Rufus Katee, 60, remembers Liberia’s civil wars well.

It was July 1990 when the then-26-year-old ran to escape the fighting between armed groups and soldiers in the capital, Monrovia. He fled to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in search of safety.

“There were a lot of civilians who took refuge in the church. But I didn’t know I was going for my suffering,” Katee said, recalling the harrowing events that followed.

“Soldiers came to the church in the night and started shooting. Once it started, I dropped to the floor, but the people they killed were dropping over me, and they covered me. That’s how I survived,” he told Al Jazeera.

Katee broke his hip in the attack and, decades on still suffers pain because of it.

An estimated 600 people were killed that night, and many more survivors suffered physical and mental injuries that have lingered for years.

The attack was just one of thousands that took place during Liberia’s two civil wars from 1989 to 2003, years of untold violence during which a quarter of a million people were killed.

In a photo from April 1996, armed groups fight in the streets of Monrovia [Patrick Robert/Sygma via Getty Images]

Numerous other atrocities also took place, including rape and sexual violence, mutilation and torture.

Much of the violence was perpetrated by rebels as well as the Liberian army and militias that included child soldiers.

Yet, decades on, Liberia has not prosecuted anyone for the crimes and rights violations that took place.

Now that could finally change.

War crimes court

Last month, President Joseph Boakai issued an executive order establishing the office of a war crimes court.

Many welcomed the move, which they said was long overdue. However, others are concerned it could reopen old wounds and raise tensions after compromises were made to secure peace.

The lack of prosecution of perpetrators for 21 years has largely been a result of a lack of political will, experts told Al Jazeera, which is partly due to the influence of individuals who were involved in the wars and who now wield political power.

At the end of the civil wars, slots in Liberia’s interim government were divided among warring factions who inserted their members or proxies in these positions.

Additionally, political alliances have become integral in Liberia’s elections because the political system requires an absolute majority to win the presidency. As a result, every post-war president has since allied with influential figures, many of whom took part in the wars.

“Liberia’s delay in prosecuting its war criminals is due in part to political will and the complex nature of power-sharing,” explained Aaron Weah, a Liberian doctoral candidate at Ulster University’s Transitional Justice Institute.

“The 2003 peace agreement signed in Accra that helped bring an end to the war gave political power to people that were fighting. When elections came as well, the government had these former war actors in power, so it was difficult for them to prosecute themselves or implement the 2009 TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission] recommendations,” he said.

‘Death squads’ from Liberia’s military were responsible for committing massacres during the civil war [File: Patrick Robert/Sygma via Getty Images]

Conmany Wesseh, a former senator, minister, and civil society leader, was involved in negotiating the 2003 peace agreement.

“During negotiations for the peace deal to end the war, we weren’t making progress because the warring parties did not want to sign the peace agreement,” he told Al Jazeera. “It was only when we agreed that the way to go was a truth and reconciliatory commission as used in South Africa [after apartheid ended] instead of a war crimes court, that was when they signed.”

“There was no victor,” he added, “there was a peace agreement that allowed for compromises so as to stop the war and the killing, and this has allowed us to keep the peace for 21 years.”

Palava huts

In 2005, the Transitional Legislature at the time established the TRC of Liberia with a mandate that included investigating human rights abuses committed during the war, providing a forum to address issues of impunity, and recommending measures to be taken for the rehabilitation of survivors in the spirit of national reconciliation and healing with the objective of promoting national peace, security, unity, and reconciliation.

In 2009, the TRC issued its final report, recommending the establishment of an Extraordinary Criminal Court for Liberia to try gross human rights violations, reparations for victims, and disbarring certain individuals from holding office, including Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the president at the time.

The court, however, was never established despite campaigns from civil society and promises by previous governments.

Instead, the country has settled for non-prosecutorial forms of justice through its National Palava Hut program, which provides a space for victims and perpetrators in a community to interact with one another and for perpetrators to ask for forgiveness.

Palava huts, though, are not recognized courts, and no punishments are handed down. The hearings are also restricted to lesser crimes, which include arson, assault, forced labor, looting, destruction, and theft.

As a result, victims seeking justice have turned to courts in Europe and the United States that have prosecuted and sentenced a small number of former strongmen who relocated abroad. These individuals are usually tried for war crimes under universal jurisdiction or immigration fraud in instances when they omit their alleged war crime history from immigration documents.

Liberian President Joseph Boakai has promised to establish a war crimes court [File: Carielle Doe/Reuters]

Concrete steps

However, things are changing after Liberia’s Legislature in April passed a resolution calling on the president to establish two courts: a war crimes court and an economic crimes court.

To the surprise of many, this resolution was signed by some former rebels who took part in the war and had previously opposed the establishment of a court.

It was based on this that Boakai in May issued his executive order for the establishment of the Office of War Crimes and Economic Crimes Court.

The office is tasked with investigating and designing the methodology, mechanisms, and processes for the establishment of a Special War Crimes Court for Liberia and a National Anti-Corruption Court. It is also tasked with recommending a way to source funds for the court’s operations.

And while there is no stated timeline for the establishment of the war crimes court, the establishment of an office is Liberia’s most concrete step thus far toward domestic prosecution of its war criminals, and it has been largely celebrated, especially by victims, the international community and civil society who campaigned for its establishment.

‘Establish the court now’

Peterson Sonyah, who heads the Liberia Massacre Survivors Association, is one of those pleased about the developments.

Sonyah was 16 in 1990 at the time of the Lutheran church massacre that he, like Katee, also survived. He remembers that night vividly.

“It was in the night, but the guns lit up the church hall like it was broad daylight,” he told Al Jazeera. “I and my father had gone to Lutheran for refuge. That’s why we were there. The church used to give us food.

Bloodied clothing litters the floor of St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Monrovia, the site of a massacre in July 1990 where soldiers slaughtered an estimated 600 civilians seeking refuge from the civil war [Patrick Robert/Sygma via Getty Images]

“When the soldiers started shooting, he covered me with his body, but one bullet went in his arm and another in his hip. In the morning, he said he was thirsty. I went to get him water, and when I came back, he was dead. I lost seven family members at Lutheran.”

Now as an adult still living with the weight of all he lost, Sonyah said he is “happy” about the news of a future war crimes court.

“I support the court 100 percent. I have been campaigning for this court since the time of the TRC. We need the court to address impunity and for people to pay for their crimes, so they need to establish the court now.”

His stance is echoed by Hassan Bility, the executive director of the Global Justice and Research Project, a Liberian NGO that campaigns for the court’s establishment and the international prosecution of war criminals.

“The signing of the executive order by President Boakai is an encouraging development. At least it indicates his administration’s willingness to do something about our wartime atrocities,” he said.

‘We made compromises for this peace’

Not everyone agrees with the establishment of the court. Critics have expressed concerns about the security implications of prosecuting now-powerful former warlords who have considerable support, while many have argued that public funds for a court would be better put towards improving the livelihoods of Liberians.

“Whatever we do that could lead to the war, we should reject,” Wesseh said. “We made compromises for this peace. We must not do anything to reverse these gains in peace, and I don’t believe the way to consolidate this peace is a war crimes court.

“Instead, to solidify our peace, we must make sure the courts and hospitals are working and people have jobs.”

A rebel in Monrovia observes a ceasefire in August 2003 shortly before the departure of then-President Charles Taylor [Nic Bothma/EPA]

Critics have also questioned the use of the TRC report as the basis of the court’s establishment. Prince Johnson, the former head of a warring faction and now a long-serving senator, has opposed the establishment of the court based on the report, calling it biased. He instead has called for the United Nations to establish the court.

There are also concerns that a domestic war crimes court and an economic crimes court would face funding challenges if established because Liberia is largely poor and the country would need to seek assistance from the international community to help fund it. Additionally, analysts said, the court is likely to face challenges in gathering evidence 21 years after the war.

“The court will also need to address the problem of evidence gathering as a lot of people who witnessed the war are now aging and dying. The witness statements given at the TRC were also largely unverified,” Weah said. “The court will also have to address the issue of location. Will it be in Monrovia, which is crowded? Or at a place outside Monrovia that recorded a lot of atrocities?”

Despite these challenges, for Katee and many others who survived the two wars, the pursuit of justice continues until the court is properly established.

“We have been on this issue of a war crimes court for a while. I support the court 100 percent, but it needs to come soon,” he said.

“The people who committed most of these crimes are dying and getting old. I can die anytime. If we all die, who will they call to testify? Let the court come and bring hard justice.”

SOURCE: ALJAZEERA

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My latest for Al Jazeera.

Thanks to Senator Commey Wesseh, Aaron Weah, and the association of Liberia massacre victims for talking to me and helping me on this piece https://t.co/adMMPMDyXY

— doU-Nar (@dounardbondo) June 18, 2024

Critics have also questioned the use of the TRC report as the basis of the court’s establishment. Prince Johnson, the former head of a warring faction and now a long-serving senator, has opposed the establishment of the court based on the report, calling it biased. He instead has called for the United Nations to establish the court.

What do you think?

Feel free to join the conversation by posting your comment! We encourage readers across the political spectrum to participate. We hold Space for everyone on YAME. yame [dot] space. You can post comments on the article as anonymous /guest.

University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), Ltd., Accra

The new 617-bed medical center is designed to provide advanced medical services

Quaternary medical and scientific research center

The University of Ghana Medical Centre is a quaternary medical and scientific research center located at the University of Ghana in Accra Campus. It is the most advanced medical facility in West Africa. The new 617-bed medical center is designed to provide advanced medical services in medicine, teaching, and research to the sub-region and beyond.

The new 617-bed medical center is designed to provide advanced medical services

In June 2011 Ghana cabinet gave approval for a loan facility from Israel for the design, construction, and installation of equipment.   

The facility which is located on 400-acre land, is estimated to cost $217 million and modeled after The Sheba Medical Centre, the largest in Israel, assist to provide the most efficient health care that measures up to global standards.

The ultra-modern facility for service delivery is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for trauma and emergency services with a heliport and internal medicine including surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, cardiology, heart surgery, and imaging. 

The establishment of UGMC was conceived by the faculty and administration of the University of Ghana and initiated under the Late President John Evans Atta Mills. In January 2017, John Dramani Mahama, the former president, commissioned Phase 1 of the project. The first phase of the UGMC houses specialized centers, such as emergency, imaging, operating theatres, and laboratories. 

The second phase provides specialist facilities, including heart and cancer treatment and rehabilitation centers and a hostel for families of patients. The facility is now fully open to the public. The completion of Phase II signifies the completion of all three UGMC focal areas, as the center positions itself to offer quaternary services.

Patient care video

Theo Edwards for YAME

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RELATED

“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned the 120-bed Adansi North District Hospital-Fomena and the Sekyere Kumawu District Hospital-Kumawu in the Ashanti Region. ”

— NEWS UPDATE - JULY 29, 2024

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned the 120-bed Adansi North District Hospital-Fomena and the Sekyere Kumawu District Hospital-Kumawu in the Ashanti Region. According to the President, the completion of these facilities is a testament to the Government’s dedication to providing fit-for-purpose ultra-modern health facilities in line with the current healthcare standards for the people of Ghana.

More newly constructed facilities in the districts all over Ghana are near completion.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Ministry of Health in Ghana is recruiting. Recruitment of Nurses and Midwives. Share If you know of anyone in Africa who is qualified and might be interested. The deadline to submit your online application is Monday 5th August 2024 at Noon — Friday, 23rd August at 6:00 PM.

— Ministry of Health, Ghana website Click Here 

Senegal Joined The Club of Oil-producing Countries

It is expected to generate billions of dollars for Senegal and boost its economy.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

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Senegal has become an oil-producing nation with the first off-shore platform as Australian company Woodside Energy Group Ltd. announced the beginning of production on Tuesday.

Senegal joined the club of oil-producing countries on Tuesday as Australian group Woodside Energy announced that production had started in the West African country's first offshore project.

The oil and gas sector is expected to generate more than $1 billion annually.

BBC reports that the Sangomar deep-water project, which also has gas, aims to produce 100,000 barrels of oil daily.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has committed to responsibly managing the proceeds from the sale of the nation's oil and gas. Australian energy giant Woodside has lauded the oil production in Senegal as a groundbreaking moment and a pivotal accomplishment for the company and the country.

The general manager of the national oil company Petrosen said the nation had entered a 'new era' when production began on Tuesday.

“We have never been so well positioned for opportunities for growth, innovation, and success in the economic and social development of our nation.”

— Thierno Ly, General Manager, Petrosen

Petrosen maintains an 18% stake in the project, demonstrating a substantial commitment, while the majority is owned by Woodside Energy Group Ltd., a trusted and established industry leader.

Mr Faye, who was elected president in April, has been keen on renegotiating the deal as part of reforms he promised during the election campaign.

The President, speaking to students on Tuesday, revealed that an intergenerational fund had been established for the benefit of 'your generation and those to come.'

The country’s move to renegotiate oil and gas contracts has been seen by some analysts as making investors jittery, but government supporters have reportedly said that it is vital for the West African state to increase its stake in projects so that the nation benefits from its natural resources.

A former opposition politician, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who was a key figure in the president’s election campaign, recently insisted that contracts signed by previous administrations were ‘unfavorable’ to the country, and would be reviewed.

Sonko was quoted as saying on Tuesday, ‘We're the ones who promised you we'd renegotiate the contracts, and we're going to do it. We've started already.’ 

Theo Edwards for YAME

The Life and Times of Malawi's VP Saulos Chilima

Saulos Klaus Chilima

Saulos Chilima, a father of two, served as Malawi's vice president from 2014 until his death on June 10, 2024. The father of two died in an aircraft crash on his way to represent the government at the burial of former Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara, who died three days earlier.

By Sylvia Chebet for TRT AFRIKA

Born on February 12, 1973, in Blantyre, Malawi, Saulos Klaus Chilima, was the first born child of Henderson Brown Chilima and Elizabeth Frances Chilima.

He spent most of his early life in Blantyre where his father worked as an aircraft engineer for Air Malawi, later renamed Malawi Airlines.

During school holidays, the young Chilima would shuttle between the villages of Lilongwe and Ntcheu where his grandparents lived.

Maziko Matemba, a health activist in Malawi, knew the fallen vice president from his primary school days at Dharap.

Their paths crossed again later in life when Chilima was already a vice president, and their childhood friendship was instantly reignited.

"I will remember him as a passionate Christian and a family man who was sociable," Matemba tells TRT Afrika.

Chilima, a devout Catholic married Mary Nkhamanyachi Chilima with whom he shares two children, Sean and Elizabeth.

Saulos Klaus Chilima married Mary Chilima and got two children. Photo: @Saulos Chilima/X

Chilima graduated from the University of Malawi with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences in 1994 and later returned to his alma mater to pursue a Master's Degree in Economics.

In 2015, he received his Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Knowledge Management from the University of Bolton in the United Kingdom.

He started his career at Lever Brothers (Mw) Limited (now Unilever) before moving on to the Leasing and Finance Company of Malawi, and later Southern Bottlers Limited.

His last professional assignment in the corporate space was at Airtel Malawi, where he led the sales team before being named the first-ever local managing director for the company in 2010.

Chilima's childhood friend, Matemba was not surprised by his steady rise in the corporate space considering his work ethic.

"He was a man full of energy with a passion for excellence," Matemba recalls.

Chilima reportedly grew Airtel Malawi's annual revenue by 75% over three years from $ 54m in 2010 to $ 95m in 2013.

Political career

Chilima made his debut in politics in 2014, when President Peter Mutharika unveiled him as a running mate.

Saulos Chilima, who came third in the 2019 poll, teamed up with Lazarus Chakwera to defeat Peter Mutharika in 2020. Photo: @Saulos Chilima/X

However, he broke away from Mutharika in 2018 and launched his United Transformation Movement (UTM) party, ahead of the May 2019 elections.

Aiming to form a united opposition, Chilima's UTM formed an alliance with Joyce Banda's Peoples Party and Cassim ChilumphaTikonze People's Movement alongside a host of other smaller political parties.

They agreed to field one presidential candidate, but both Joyce Banda and Cassim Chilumph later withdrew from the alliance, citing disagreement in the selection of a running mate.

Chilima would ganner 20% of the vote in the poll in which the then-incumbent Peter Mutharika had been declared winner.

Malawi's constitutional court later annulled Mutharika's victory, citing vote tampering and a re-run was scheduled for June 2020.

Saulos Chilima served as Malawi's vice president under Presidents Peter Mutharika and Lazarus Chakwera. Photo: @Saulos Chilima/X

Lazarus Chakwera, who had come second place, picked Chilima as his running mate. With their forces combined, they pushed out the Mutharika administration with a 58% vote victory.

However, in 2022, President Chakwera stripped Chilima of his delegated powers as a vice president following a $150m corruption scandal, but was later cleared of the charges.

Announcing Chilima's death, President Chakwera paid a glowing tribute to his deputy, saying he was a devoted father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction.

"I consider it one of the greatest honors of my life to have had him as my deputy and counsellor for the past four years," the president's statement read.

President Lazarus Chakwera confirmed that Dr. Saulos Chilima and nine others died in a plane crash on Monday, June 10, 2024. /Photo: @Saulos Chilima/X

‘His passing is a terrible loss to his wife Mary, his family, his friends, his colleagues in cabinet, and to all of us as a nation that found his leadership and courage a source of inspiration.’

The father of two died in an aircraft crash on his way to represent the government at the burial of former Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara, who died three days earlier.

Death of a Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima of Malawi

Defendant Vincent Dabilgou, Party Leader and Former Minister of Transport

Misappropriation of public funds in Burkina Faso

August 2023 File Photo

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The defendant Vincent Dabilgou, it should be remembered, was being prosecuted by the courts in Burkina Faso for embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, and the hidden financing of political parties, including the party of which he is the president, the NTD. He was sentenced in August of 2023 by the court in Burkina Faso.

The court in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou sentenced Vincent Dabilgou, former transport minister, to eleven years in prison for embezzlement of public funds and money laundering, the local media said, citing judicial sources.

The court reportedly charged the former minister with ‘misappropriation of public funds’ to the tune of 1.12 billion CFA francs (about $1.9 million), and ‘hidden financing of a political party.’

Dabilgou is the founder and chairman of the New Era for Democracy (NTD) party, whose activities the court also ordered suspended.

The ex-minister must also pay a fine of 3.3 billion CFA francs ($5.5 million) following the order and is banned from all political activities for five years.

READ: Politicians don't give a dam!

In addition, the tribunal directed that the former minister's assets be forfeited to the extent of the amounts embezzled to the treasury.

The court verdict also affected two of Dabilgou's former colleagues in the ministry, Sere Jean-Gabriel and Kouanda Malick, who received prison sentences ranging from six to eleven years, along with hefty fines for ‘abuse of power.’

Burkina Faso has been ruled since September 2022 by an interim government led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who took power from the previous coup leader Paul-Henri Damiba, who overthrew Kabore.

Vincent Dabilgou headed Burkina Faso's Transport Ministry under President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who was overthrown in a coup in January 2022. Before the Transport Ministry, he served as Minister of Urban Development.

However, a video of Vincent Dabilgou surfaced on social media, which has since gone viral with the caption ‘From Grace to Grass,’ showing him being subjected to public beatings after being found guilty of embezzlement.

Vincent Dabilgou, Party Leader and Former Minister of Transport. Revealing the locations of embezzled funds.

The passport to achieving wealth in Africa is by entering into politics.

The question we ask is:

As a powerful deterrent, sending a clear message to future public servants about the consequences of engaging in corruption and state capture when found guilty, should we consider introducing public flogging as part of sentencing our corrupt African leaders and their accomplices?

By Theo Edwards for YAME

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Feel free to join the conversation by posting your comment! We encourage readers across the political spectrum to participate. We hold Space for everyone on YAME. yame [dot] space.

Freetown Cable Car Project Promoted At The Cable Car World Congress In Essen

June 5, 2024: The Cable Car World Congress In Essen, GERMANY

We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to promote the Freetown Cable Car project at the Cable Car World Congress in Essen, Germany. Under the patronage of the German Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Dr. Volker Wissing, the Cable Car World Congress brought together national and municipal government officials, cable car manufacturers, construction companies, professional advisors, and other industry participants committed to the delivery of the cable car as an integrated element of a green, urban mobility solution.

I was honored to be hosted by the Mayor of Essen on Monday evening and to respond to his kind words of welcome. The Congress was officially opened on Tuesday morning with a statement by the German State Secretary for Digital and Transport Hartmut Hoppner. I then delivered a welcome statement and throughout the two-day event, I participated in a panel on the financing of cable cars, presented an overview of the Freetown Cable Car Project, and together with other members of the project team, engaged in a series of bilateral meetings with cable car manufacturers, potential project financiers and advisors. 

The availability of the technical and financial feasibility studies funded by the C40 Cities Climate Finance Facility and undertaken by GIZ increased the level of interest in the project from potential participants. Furthermore, the support for the project by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Transport and the synergies between the Freetown Cable Car Project and the World Bank-funded Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Projects strengthens the investment case for the cable car.

The Freetown Cable Car Project currently comprises three proposed lines: the East Corridor; the Mountain Corridor; and the West Corridor. The feasibility studies have been undertaken for the 3.6 km long East Corridor route which will run from Kissy Ferry Terminal to Government Wharf via Up Gun, Mountain Cut, and Eastern Police. The journey time along this route will be reduced to just 14.5 minutes! 

Our discussions and engagements at the Cable Car World Congress have been extremely constructive. We are proceeding with the next steps on the journey to structure and secure the financing for the Freetown Cable Car Project. We hope to complete this important step within 6 to 9 months.

©️Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE | June 5, 2024

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Feel free to join the conversation by posting your comment! We encourage readers across the political spectrum to participate. We hold Space for everyone on YAME. yame [dot] space.

Why 30 Years of ANC Majority Rule is Over, and What's Next for South Africa

Story by Debora Patta • 1h • 4 min read

Johannesburg — On April 27, 1994, Black and White South Africans voted side by side for a new government for the first time in the country's history.  Nelson Mandela's party, the African National Congress (ANC) had defeated apartheid and ushered in a new democratic era.

The ANC swept to power with ease and Mandela became South Africa's first Black president to the delight of a mostly adoring country. Now, 30 years later, the party that brought democracy to South Africa has been defeated by it.

National election results announced over the weekend saw the ANC lose the electoral majority it had won in every round of voting since Mandela came to power on that historic day three decades ago.

Why did the ANC lose its long-held majority?

As they headed to the polls to cast their verdict on the ANC for the seventh time since 1994, South Africans had a lot to complain about.

An African National Congress (ANC) supporter holds a poster of former President Nelson Mandela during the ANC Election Manifesto launch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa, in a Feb. 24, 2024 file photo. / Credit: RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP/Getty© Provided by CBS News

A stubbornly high unemployment rate, which officially hit 32.9% last year but in reality is much higher; persistent economic inequalities; rampant corruption, and a lack of public service delivery, particularly in poorer areas, all contributed to the dethroning of the ANC.

Then there were the frequent power cuts. Intermittent outages have been a near-constant for well over a year.

There's also a soaring crime rate, with 130 murders and 80 rapes documented every single day in the last quarter of 2023. 

Together, all these factors dented confidence in the long-ruling party, and the result was a slap in the face for the ANC, which garnered just 40.2 percent of the votes — well below the more than 50% needed to remain in power.

What comes next for South Africa?

Instead, the ANC has two weeks to negotiate a new power-sharing government with members of other parties. This could take the form of either a coalition with a smaller party, or a government of national unity, which would see multiple parties get roles in a unified cabinet.

The options available could not be more different. 

The second largest share of the votes, 21.8%, went to the official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), which has been on the political scene since the dawn of South Africa's democracy and historically was a merger between the former apartheid rulers, the National Party, and liberal Whites who participated in the old apartheid regime but criticized the country's racist policies. 

The DA wants to liberalize the national economy, including a move toward greater privatization, but it is dogged by a credibility issue — perceived by many Black South Africans to be a mostly white, middle-class party that doesn't care about the poor.

Then there's the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, which exploded onto the political scene at the end of last year.  It's made up of former disgruntled ANC members and led by the disgraced former President of South Africa Jacob Zuma, who faces multiple corruption charges and was already sent to prison briefly in 2021 for defying a court order to testify at a corruption inquiry. 

As a convicted felon, Zuma cannot run for office, but he remains the face of the party and helped MK snatch 14.9% of the vote away from the ANC by appealing to Zulu nationalism. 

Like every election since democracy arrived in South Africa, this one has been declared objectively free and fair by observers. But that hasn't stopped Zuma casting doubt on the results, including with public claims of vote-rigging, without providing any evidence.  

On Sunday, the former leader issued an ominous warning.

"The results are not correct," he said. "Results should not be declared. If you're declaring, you're provoking us. Don't start trouble."

MK's manifesto is anti-constitutional. It speaks about nationalizing the SA Reserve Bank and holding a referendum on scrapping the constitution completely.

The attacks on the election results appear aimed at denting the credibility of the vote and creating uncertainty. But Zuma is also fighting for his survival — desperate to avoid his corruption trial which could very well send him back to jail.

Lagging behind MK was another ANC breakaway party, the Economic Freedom Front (EFF), which argues that the ANC has not redressed the racial economic imbalances of apartheid. It wants to redistribute land to the less well-off and nationalize mines, banks, and other key parts of the economy.  But it made no gains in this election, instead dropping to 9.5% for a fourth place finish.

An EFF poster is seen outside a polling station in Hopetown, Northern Cape province, South Africa, May 29, 2024. / Credit: Jeremy Suyker/Bloomberg/Getty© Provided by CBS News

The ANC could attempt to form a coalition with either the DA or the EFF and another smaller party, or even with MK, although it's unlikely that Zuma would agree to this unless the ANC boots out its leader, incumbent South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, which seems just as unlikely, at least for now.

The unity option — a possible reset for South Africa?

As an alternative, a government of national unity would see a grand multi-party coalition, and possibly provide a reset for South Africa. 

Despite this country's multitude of problems and a poor voter turnout compared to previous years, democracy still holds strong in South Africa. 

The election was mostly peaceful and South Africans actually sent a clear message by giving no single party a mandate to govern. 

Gracious in defeat, Ramaphosa said the people's will was clear, and he accepted the results.

"Our people have spoken, whether we like it or not," said Ramaphosa. "Through their votes they have demonstrated clearly and plainly that our democracy is strong, that our democracy is robust and enduring."

Mosotho Moepya (left), chairman of the Election Commission, announces the results of the election and declares them free and fair before handing over to President Cyril Ramaphosa (center) at the National Result Operation Centre (ROC) at Gallagher Estate, June 2, 2024 in Midrand, South Africa. / Credit: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty© Provided by CBS News

He said it seemed clear that South Africans want their leaders, from across the political spectrum, to find common ground and work together.

The cheerful goodwill could evaporate to some degree amid the cut and thrust of coalition-making, but the process has revealed a constitutional democracy that's more robust than the chaos Zuma's party seems to be hoping for. 

The next 15 days will be crucial in shaping a government that serves the people of South Africa, and hopefully returns some trust in its political leaders.

First Black Woman to Earn a U-M Robotics PhD

University of Michigan - May 4, 2024

On Saturday, Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi spoke at the University of Michigan College of Engineering Graduate Ceremony.

She is the first Black woman to earn a U-M Robotics PhD. at the University of Michigan

Born to Nigerian immigrant parents, she came to U-M's mechanical engineering PhD. program decorated with academic honors-such as her MVP award from the University of Illinois' Pi Tau Sigma chapter, the mechanical engineering honor society.

Wami Ogunbi opens up about the importance of advocates and mentors in enabling her to achieve—and delivers a message about the importance of inclusion.

While speaking, she shared what inspires her to be an engineer, especially what it means to be a University of Michigan engineer.

Credit: The University of Michigan Robotics Department

Sierra Leone Unapproved Construction: Juba in Peril

The illegal residents reportedly cut into the pipes for water access

We must act now before another preventable disaster strikes

The environmental impact of this uncontrolled growth is also evident. Plastic waste and blocked drainages paint a picture of growing neglect. Coupled with the chaotic atmosphere creates a chaotic and unsettling environment and erodes the quality of life for all residents

Juba, once a high-end neighborhood in Freetown, finds itself battling a complex and pressing issue: a dense network of unauthorized settlements encroaching directly onto critical infrastructure, including its vital water pipelines. These makeshift structures built on the city's main water pipe - the lifeline connecting the Guma reservoir to the wider community in Freetown - pose a significant risk to both the community and individuals, raising concerns about safety, sanitation, and environmental protection.

Unapproved construction can compromise the integrity of these vital pipes, leading to potential leaks, disruptions, and even contamination. Additionally, the settlements often lack proper sanitation facilities, raising the specter of hygiene concerns and disease outbreaks.

The environmental impact of this uncontrolled growth is also evident. Plastic waste and blocked drainages paint a picture of growing neglect. Coupled with the chaotic atmosphere, it creates an unsettling environment and erodes the quality of life for all residents.

The situation is further complicated by allegations of colluding between the residents, Freetown City Council (FCC) officials, and Members of Parliament. Bi-monthly payments to FCC officials from illegal settlers and claims of unauthorized electricity access through EDSA payments raise serious questions about the erosion of the rule of law, despite official regulations prohibiting such connections in unauthorized settlements.

Juba's predicament is not an isolated incident; it reflects a larger challenge faced by law-abiding residents in Freetown. This development is not simply about illegal settlements but the complex interplay between politics, governance, and the erosion of trust in certain institutions.

While the reasons for these irregular settlements might be multifaceted, their impact on the Guma pipeline and the wider Juba community is undeniable. The illegal residents reportedly cut into the pipes for water access, potentially compromising the entire system's integrity and jeopardizing the water supply. This raises questions about the long-term viability of such a development, for the community and the broader infrastructure network.

Finding solutions demands a comprehensive and unbiased assessment of the situation, a firm commitment to upholding regulations, and collaborative efforts from community members and relevant authorities like the National Disaster Management Agency, Guma Valley, ONS, FCC, EDSA, and Members of Parliament. Only through such collective action can Juba and other neighborhoods reclaim their communities, where safety, sanitation, and environmental well-being are not negotiable luxuries but fundamental rights for all law-abiding residents.

This is not a time for finger-pointing. We must act now before another preventable disaster strikes with potentially catastrophic consequences. Juba is a stark reminder of the human cost of inaction and the urgent need for responsible governance, community engagement, and a renewed commitment to the rule of law.

Bob Jusu reporting

Related

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr on Facebook: Guma Valley Water Company communication unit reported

Sierra Leone Colonial Report for 1914 - Annual: compared to the present population.

Sierra Leone: Small Country, Massive Suffering

How did it all fall apart?

By Theo Edwards

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Bad economy, no electricity, fraud and corruption, poor infrastructure, poor water supply, youth unemployment, the rampant abuse of Kush, and the rise in crime.

Every blessed day, you will find something to be outraged about.

It pains like-minded Sierra Leoneans to see the stark contrast between the envisioned utopia and the grim reality in Mama Salone, a land abundant with many God-given natural resources. 

Our so-called educated elite, leaders, traditional rulers, and religious figures have all become agents of our demise, poisoning the well of our collective aspirations. 

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States once said, ‘…nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s true character, give him power.’ Power reveals dishonesty, greed, corruption, and unqualified functionaries in us.

Power consumes one’s ability to use common sense

Sierra Leone has manifested itself into tribal and regional affiliations that have become barriers to meaningful collaboration.

Regrettably, these divisions of tribalism extend to the leadership and various governmental institutions. The specter of politics and political affiliations looms large and appears more important than national interest.

Positions on national issues are based entirely on convenience and not deeply on how things appear good or bad or how we want to hold people in power accountable but on who we try to protect based on affiliation or connections.

Politicians don't give a dam! Not until we Sierra Leoneans treat each other with dignity and value the life of everyone nothing will ever change.

No transparency or accountability oversight. The very essence of democracy

The two sides of our political framework follow the same road. And they both wind up in the same place every single time.

Transparency is an absolute necessity for achieving accountability in any democratic system. It is only when those in power are held responsible for their actions that trust can exist between the government and its citizens. Without transparency and accountability, the government can easily become corrupt and abuse its power, leading to a breakdown of trust and a loss of faith in the entire system.

The pursuit of power has blinded many politicians to the basic needs of humanity, leading to a decline in the quality of life for the general public. The obsession with gaining and maintaining power has consumed the ability to use common sense and make decisions that benefit constituents. As a result, basic needs like access to clean water, healthcare, education, and infrastructure are being neglected, while those in power focus on their self-interests.

READ: ‘Absolute disgrace:’ State institutions are not working as they ought

This selfish behavior not only harms the nation but also weakens the fabric of society as a whole.

It's been sixty-three long years since our independence on April 27, 1961, and yet we still find ourselves trapped in the shackles of mental slavery. Corruption, ignorance, and mismanagement continue to plague our society, serving as the hallmarks of power and control.

It is the sad reality, that despite our freedom, we have failed to break free from the chains that bind us and prevent us from reaching our true potential as a nation.

The people of Sierra Leone have long been asking for very little, but unfortunately, so much is taken away from them. The realities on the ground are all too real and paint a very sad picture

In societies that meet the academic definition of 'good governance,' the government is supposed to meet the needs of the people. However, in Sierra Leone, this is often not the case. Despite the best efforts of some, the needs of the people are often ignored, and their basic rights are frequently violated.

The Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and the All Peoples Congress (APC), the two pillars of our political framework, have long become synonymous with stagnation and corruption. The level of corruption runs in both directions creating an environment where crime and bribery flourish.

READ: When humanity succumbs to acts of greed and oppression, they are even less than animals

It's a tragic state of affairs and time for a change. We need leaders who are committed and committed to reforms such as taking a harder line against party leaders who've been implicated in corruption and state capture.

The time for our leaders to prioritize the needs of the people they serve, and work together to create a better future for all.

Poverty and Uncertainty occupying the mind! In poverty-stricken societies, people are forced to make desperate choices just to survive. They are willing to eat from any plate, regardless of the source, because hunger knows no boundaries. They are willing to dance for political t-shirts not because they desire them, but because they need clothes to wear. It is appalling that we have allowed these issues to persist, ignoring them until election season when politicians use them to gain leverage. Let us not forget that these are real people with real struggles, not just pawns in a political game. 

Through effective management of resources and eliminating corruption, Sierra Leone can chart a sustainable path toward a brighter and more prosperous future.

It is time to take action and address these issues with urgency and compassion.

KUSH: Is not only the new face of Sierra Leone but also the new mineral of Sierra Leone. Disheartening!

Because of the enduring impact and the self-interest of our politicians, Sierra Leone has slid into a more dangerous territory due to the rampant abuse of KUSH. A drug that is quickly becoming the new face of addiction in the country. Those who turn to KUSH in search of relief are often met with devastating consequences leading to even worse problems than those it was intended to solve.

The side effects of drugs mixed with human bones called #Kush pic.twitter.com/bM5RlVbwgR

— House Of Happiness Sierra Leone (@HOHSIERRALEONE) April 8, 2024

The side-effect of kush mixed with human bone

Leadership

‘For, it would be useless to chase out the colonial rulers if the Africans who replaced them are just as greedy and ruthless ~Kwame Nkrumah.

As citizens, we only need to look around us to know where we are as a nation. We cannot allow the future of our generation to be sacrificed for the sake of those driven by their pursuit of wealth and political ambition.

PCMH Extensive Hours of a Power Outage

There is no shame in this. There’s no hiding. We need help at PCMH

Dr. Jeredine George, a Specialist Obstetrician Gynecologist working at the National OBGYN hospital, PCMH normally called 'cottage' wrote about the extensive hours of a power outage

‘Ar ready for the on-call tiday: bring it on!’

April 23, 2024

Dr. Jeredine George, a Specialist Obstetrician Gynecologist working at the National OBGYN hospital, PCMH normally called 'cottage' wrote about the extensive hours of power outage.

She posted on her mobile status with the caption "Ar ready for the on-call tiday: bring it on!" She was ready, she said. What she wasn't ready for was the extensive hours of power outage that came with it.

If you don't know me, my name is Dr. Jeredine George, and I'm a Specialist Obstetrician Gynecologist working at the National OBGYN hospital, PCMH normally called 'cottage.' 

My team is on call every Monday, and yesterday was no exception. There was a lights-out in the hospital from 9:15 PM yesterday until 8 AM today.

Let me give you scenarios of what this implies: Nurses and doctors examining patients with phone torches, patients who required oxygen did not get it, babies who needed oxygen while in their mothers' wombs did not get it, and as a result, we lost a baby immediately after surgery because it was in distress before delivery and some oxygen to the mother would have helped it.

Before you ask, the solar installed in the compound serving both hospitals can only last for a maximum of 5 hours in full capacity, and this was what was in operation till 9:15 PM.

The generator owned by the hospital can serve only the operating theatre.

Nurses had to admit, care for, and give medications to patients in the dark! if they're lucky, by the use of their phone torches or that of the patient's relatives.

'This is not an attack on anyone or anything in particular, but a desperate cry for help from a clinician who experiences daily what the average Sierra Leonean pregnant woman is facing just because the system is failing them.

Dr. Jeredine George

There are many issues at PCMH! and we need help.

I'm typing this and crying because we had a terrible night: my junior doctors and I have not slept a wink since 8 AM yesterday. 

We are not complaining about the workload or salary but that the working conditions should be better and that the patients who are promised free health care receive it.

‘They come to the hospital with nothing expecting free treatment but lo and behold they have to purchase almost everything needed for their survival.’

Sometimes, we take from our meager salaries and purchase these consumables for them not because we have to spare but because we cannot sit down and watch patients die because they can't afford them.

There is no shame in this, there is no hiding. We need help at PCMH.

What pained us the most was that the children's hospital in the same compound had a generator that provided power throughout the night, at the time the "cottage" hospital was in darkness.

If you're reading this and are passionate about maternal health, please help us get the help we need. Not on paper but physically that patients can benefit from!

Do not ask whether the authorities know because they do and maybe there's nothing, they can do so we need much bigger help.

The issues are numerous at PCMH, but yesterday's duty brought to light the very sad conditions under which clinicians are forced to work.

I've never done this before; I had complained to different individuals but not on such a large platform.

Maybe it's about time we get help.

P.S.: We had two maternal near misses and many other incidents during the on-call; thankfully, we managed them and had no mortality.

Thanks to all the staff who worked during the night of Monday 22nd April 2024: you all are heroes. May God bless the works of your hands.

'Una bear me,' I'm crying as I'm typing this:

 #e-mona

office of the minister: Ministry of health | Dated 24th April 2024

While no one takes responsibility at the Ministry of Health for the death of a child at the PCMH, the Ministry has acknowledged that health facilities across the country are faced with electricity challenges due to the ongoing electricity crisis.

There was a leadership challenge at PCMH, also, according to MoH.

These challenges have only now been addressed after the unfortunate death of the child, with the posting appointment on Wednesday, the 24th of April the Acting Medical Superintendent, Dr. Amadu Sesay, with immediate effect.

Thanks to all concerned citizens who reached out to us to voice their level of frustration with the current state of affairs in the motherland.

#Don't-Be-Afraid-to-Speak-Out

Early Rainfall Causes Havoc at Portee: Freetown City Council Communication

Freetown City Council (FCC)

April 23, 2024 

Truly disgusting! This filth is a product of our attitude towards waste management.

The heavy rains in the early hours of this morning were accompanied by the return of an unfortunate habit – some Freetonians emptying their garbage into gutters and waterways during the rain.

The rains have come early and jumped ahead of our flood mitigation plans. FCC flood mitigation activities started at Juba Bridge on 3rd April.

After about five days we moved onto the canal at Lumley which had also become an illegal dumpsite last year. From there work began and is still ongoing at Kroo Bay.

The heavy rains in the early hours of this morning were accompanied by the return of an unfortunate habit – some Freetonians emptying their garbage into gutters and waterways during the rain.

As a consequence, we saw an overflow of several key drains and gutters across the city, including at Portee. This unfortunate practice is most often done by but is not limited to residents living in hillside communities that cannot be accessed by sanitation vehicles.

Speaking about the Council’s efforts, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said: ‘The Deputy Mayor, the Chief Administrator, the FCC team, and I were out on the streets until way after dark to ensure that we effectively addressed the situation at Portee and elsewhere. All roads were cleared, and residents were sensitized in the process.

FCC flood mitigation activities will continue for the next few weeks. We are confident that within a few days, the positive impact of the recently expanded public space cleaning and the continued flood mitigation activities will yield positive results.

Additionally FCC is in the process of strengthening our sanitation bylaws; we are hopeful that parliamentary approval for that will be granted soon.

In the meantime, a reminder to us all that garbage on the streets doesn’t fall from the skies. Freetonians please don’t throw your garbage in the streets, gutters, and waterways and please do not use ‘Clean Salone’ Please only use FCC-approved waste service providers who operate with tricycles or vehicles. Thank you!’

The cleanup effort

The people and central and local governments have to change their mindset.

Debris on the New Road at Portee was completely cleared. Flood mitigation work across the city continues. 

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr on 'X' formally Twitter

Debris on the New Road at #Portee was completely cleared. #FloodMitigation work across the city continues. Sanitation bylaws are being strengthened along with introduction of a new system of household waste collection. Awaiting parliamentary approval for #sanitation #bylaws… pic.twitter.com/JT9nW8ammO

— Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE (@yakisawyerr) April 23, 2024