By Amin Kef, Freetown
Sierra Leone’s capital city, Freetown was on Wednesday, 28th February brought to a standstill as the ruling APC party undertook its final campaign rally.
Supporters of the party, from everywhere in the city, dressed in red and brandishing balloons and anything with red in the air, danced and sang as they processed to join their colleagues from other parts of the city on their way to the National Stadium to be addressed by their Presidential Candidate. The crowd pulled by the APC in this last rally in the city, sends a message to its opponents that, whatever they do, the APC owns the capital city.
Stunned, dumbfounded, shocked and flabbergasted, opposition party supporters watched as the crowd danced passed them, jubilating and singing praises of Dr. Samura Kamara, the APC’s Presidential Candidate and Hon Chernor Maju Bah, his running mate. One social commentator watching the spectacle remarked that the supporters are jubilating as if the APC has already won the elections.
At around 11.00 am on Wednesday 28th February an event never observed in the history of this nation took residents in the city as they watch a rainbow encircle the sun in the sky.
A lot of insinuations were ascribed to this event. Some people say that this is a sign from God that the APC is his preferred choice as the event took place only when the party is holding its final rally in the city. Whatever interpretation is given to this occurrence, the perception of many people is that it is a special day and a message has been carried in the sky.
It was also observed that on Tuesday night, the eve of their final rally in Freetown, APC supporters in several areas around the city held candle light vigils, which took the form of street carnivals.
As they were blessed with a moon lit night, the supporters danced to traditional as well as electronic music. This atmosphere was carried into the rally. On one street in the eastern part of the city supporters painted the tar on the road red. Okadas were seen riding around the city with red umbrella covering.
At the Lumley axis, the route which was used by Dr. Samura Kamara, Okada bike riders waited in the morning clad in red with red umbrellas above their heads to escort the Presidential candidate to the National stadium. Pick up vans and trucks had huge speakers blaring music in favour of the APC party and its leadership, whilst supporters believed to be first time voters danced behind them, swaying their bodies to the rhythm of the music.
Hon Chernor Maju Bah, aka ‘Chericoco’, led the procession from the West of Freetown, while the Presidential Candidate led the rally from the East to the National stadium. Along the way, thousands of people joined the procession. Throughout the rally, Dr. Samura Kamara, standing through the roof of a black jeep, was busy waving to those senior citizens who could not join the rally but who were at their residences, nodding and waving their approval to the Presidential candidate.
As Dr. Samura Kamara and his entourage surfaced at the National stadium, the crowd went berserk and the shouts were deafening. One political analyst said that “if one should judge by the crowd, the APC’s crowd is a pointer to an APC victory”.
While the stadium was jam packed, those who could not make it in, could be seen in nearby corner streets and entertainment centres, cooling off from the scourge of the afternoon sun.
Speaking to some supporters who wish to remain anonymous, they said that they are behind the APC because of the personalities chosen by the party to lead them to the elections and that they have not demanded help from any group or person from the party but have used their own resources to participate in the campaign rally. Others say that they are in the rally because of the development brought to the country by the party, which is visible everywhere in the country and in appreciation of the work of President Koroma and his team in the past ten years in power.
Amid cheers and applause reverberating all over the stadium, the Presidential candidate of the APC, Dr. Samura Kamara, clad in white and red, rose and addressed the crowd.
He expressed satisfaction for the huge turn out and assured all Sierra Leoneans that when he becomes President, he will work in the interest of all, especially the vulnerable. He maintained that Sierra Leone is his responsibility; as such; he will dedicate all his efforts and time to ensure that progress is made in the lives of the people.
He recognised the progress made so far by the government, in which he was a member and promised to do more for the country. Dr. Samura Kamara touched on all the areas his government will be preoccupied with, namely; education, agriculture, employment, energy, water, more investments in the country, health etc.
He stressed that he is not part of a gang of criminals who have stolen the country’s money and appealed to the crowd to vote for someone whose track record is clean and a man who is honest.
He called on all to vote overwhelmingly for honesty and transparency. To this statement, the crowd erupted into cheers and the blowing of horns and whistles. He called on the people of Sierra Leone, including those at the stadium to maintain the peace.
However, early this morning (Wednesday), political tolerance was displayed at the Radisson Blu Hotel at Aberdeen, where the SLPP’s Presidential candidate, Rtd. Brig. Maada Bio and Dr. Samura Kamara met and exchanged courtesies. Bio wished his political rival, good luck as he undertakes his party’s last rally in the capital city. Stakeholders hoped that supporters of all candidates, especially the two traditional parties, will maintain the kind of political tolerance displayed today.
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