President Julius Maada Bio has, on Saturday, 25th March, 2023, told new converts of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) that the party stood for nothing but development. President Bio, who doubles as the Leader of the SLPP, made this statement while welcoming former councilors and supporters of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), who had defected to the SLPP, in Magbema Chiefdom, Kambia District, NorthWestern Sierra Leone. Besides the former APC councilors and supporters that defected, trade unionists such as Kambia trader’s union, Kambia tailoring union, driver’s union, bike rider’s union, among others, declared their support for the SLPP, citing President Bio’s development strides as motivating factor. “You have taken the best decisions to leave your former political party for the SLPP.
The SLPP is a Sierra Leoneancentered political party. Kambia is the birthplace of this party and we recognize that. So, to see you coming to your original party, is encouraging,” he told the new converts. He said he was happy to hear it from the new converts that they defected because of the numerous developmental projects that his government has initiated and implemented in their various localities, adding that such testimonies serve as inspiration to him to do more. He told the new converts that in order to ensure that the party does not loose sight on them, his party will have to work out some modalities that will serve as a sustainability factor, noting that their membership cards would soon be given to them. “You have seen the light. In the SLPP we are one people, one country. Unity is all we preach. We do not segregate and we will not despise anyone. We will ensure that you enjoy your stay in the party.
This is where you belong and you will be given the best hospitality,” he assured them. Former APC councilor in the just concluded Kambia District Council, Mohamed Salam Kamara of Ward 199, said he had joined the SLPP to stay because he has seen that President Bio is a development-oriented president with an eye to close the development gap that used to exist between Freetown and the provincial towns and villages. “I have come here today with my team and supporters to declare for the SLPP because it is the best thing that has ever happened to this country. We will always support the SLPP because we have realized that it is the only party that is Sierra Leonean focused,” he said. Former APC chairman in Tonko Limba Chiefdom, Kambia District, Mohamed Bangura, who also defected to the SLPP, said President Bio has initiated and implemented lot of development projects within the chiefdom, which enticed him to defect. “Madina town, which is the chiefdom headquarters of Tonko Limba, now enjoys clean and safe drinking water supply from boreholes which were provided by the government.
The market center is also under construction. The feeder roads within the chiefdoms have been rehabilitated. These, among many other projects, have lightened up the chiefdom,” he said. He disclosed that the former APC-led government neglected the people of Tonko Limba Chiefdom even though they supported the party with their hearts and souls, adding that they as Limbas are not tied to the APC. “We have arisen to emancipate our Limba tribe from the misuse of the APC. We will express our love for President Bio in the ballot box on election day. The SLPP is what is needed to relieve our people from backwardness,” he said. National Chairman of the SLPP, Dr. Prince Harding, welcomed the new converts and thanked the SLPP executive members in Kambia District for making the party so attractive to non-members and supporters.
