Freetown, Sierra Leone – The return of former President Ernest Bai Koroma to Freetown has sparked widespread jubilation among ordinary Sierra Leoneans, according to Minority Leader Abdul Kargbo.
“For the average Sierra Leonean, this is one of the best things that has happened to the country,” Kargbo stated.
However, a member of the Sierra Leonean delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, speaking via telephone, offered a contrasting view, noting the country’s polarized political climate. “There are extremists on both sides of the political divide for whom this is not a good idea. They do not believe in peace and national cohesion,” the delegate remarked.
Eyewitnesses described a festive atmosphere as the former president’s convoy traveled to his Freetown residence, with citizens lining the streets, waving and smiling in celebration.
Reflecting on the implications for parliamentary unity—given the tensions that marked the start of the current legislature—Kargbo noted that lawmakers across all divides played a pivotal role in facilitating Koroma’s return. Both parties worked to ensure national unity, even traveling to Abuja, Nigeria, to engage the former president during his stay abroad.
Kargbo further revealed that Koroma has pledged to assist in ensuring a peaceful Sierra Leone, offering his governance expertise to support the current administration. “To me, this is a good development,” he asserted.
The Minority Leader stressed that the move is essential for maintaining national cohesion, recalling the deep divisions within the country. “We all know what we have gone through, taking into account the previous war, which devastated this nation and caused massive setbacks. No Sierra Leonean wants to see that happen again,” he said.
Kargbo concluded that seeing the two leaders together will facilitate national cohesion. “One of the key resolutions for national unity was that the former president and the current president should be on talking terms. Parliament played a major role in ensuring the former president is back, and it is the right decision to cement national peace and cohesion.”
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/EcowasNewsOnline.com
