Campaign spending...

About a year ago, I recall a discussion I had with a renowned/seasoned journalist and editor here in Freetown. Kelvin Lewis is the Managing Director/Editor of Awoko newspaper (www.awoko.org) and a man I have a great deal of time and respect for. He's definitely "one of the good ones" around Sierra Leone... and I'm very honoured and pleased to call him a good friend.

I recall this particular discussion, out of the many chats we've had, because the issue of "how difficult it is in Sierra Leone" came up. We talked about poverty. We talked about the many things he and I do for some families around Freetown. We talked about the lack of money filtering down to the people of Sierra Leone, despite the millions and millions of dollars in international aid and international investment coming into the country.

He said something I'll always remember... He said, "Stephen, just wait a little while for the election campaigning to swing into full speed. The money will flow freely."

Mr. Lewis was absolutely right... There seems to be a ton of money flowing from all quarters... but not necessarily to the people who need it most.

The two main political parties have spent untold millions on campaign trinkets, whistles, posters, vehicles, scarves, hats, banners, parades, t-shirts, buying votes, helmets for motorcycle taxi riders, alcohol, music production and sound system rentals, etc. etc. I know at least three people who've received thousands of dollars to "campaign" for their party. I know politicians who've been "bought over" to one party or the other. I know media folks/outlets who've been paid by politicians. I know NGO groups who've received thousands of dollars to do "voter education" or "election sensitization". I know of well-funded projects that have been implemented that've had absolutely no impact on voters or the people of Salone (but workers, trainers, facilitators, etc. have benefited greatly).

It's nothing like what's spent in the US but still a lot of money, relatively speaking.

However, I also know families who go without food for days. I know school children who can't pay their school fees. I know grandmothers who struggle to meet the needs of up to 13 grandchildren. I know people who go without medication when they're sick. I know some journalists who can't afford taxi fare to get to stories. I know people who live without toilets or electricity. I know men who are unemployed and desperate.

The money is flowing... but not down to the people who probably need it the most.

BTW, there are no election spending, campaign financing laws here in Sierra Leone... therefore, no information is available. No accounting is done. No reporting on spending is possible. And ultimately, the party that spends the most will probably carry the vote come November 17th.

Still waiting to see which political party that might be... S/

The world is watching...

Here's an interesting article on the present situation in Sierra Leone... three days to go before the elections. The campaign has intensified and parties and politicos are now appearing rather desperate. So much going on...

SIERRA LEONE: Elections – sampling opinions in the diamond-rich east

Residents of Kono say they have not seen benefits from diamonds
KONO, 13 November 2012 (IRIN) - On 17 November Sierra Leone will head to the polls as President Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People’s Congress (APC) and his main rival Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) face off in what will be the country’s third election since the end of an 11-year civil war.

The current government has received praise in some quarters for attracting foreign investment, particularly in the mining sector, as well as for improving the country’s infrastructure, and notably introducing free health care to certain vulnerable groups.

But the president also faces criticism for failing to tackle extreme levels of poverty - 66 percent, according to the most recent World Bank statistics, and high unemployment rates across much of the country. His term in office has been marred by accusations of corruption levelled against members of his government, including Vice-President Sam Sumana.

In the diamond-mining town of Kono in eastern Sierra Leone previous elections have been contested fiercely, partly because of the ethnic mix in the town: all of the country’s ethnic groups are represented in Kono after decades of migration driven by the lure of the area’s diamond deposits.

Income from these diamonds helped fuel Sierra Leone’s civil war, benefiting mainly Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels but also soldiers with the national army.

Youth unemployment

In a small café on the dusty main road, young men sit sipping sweet tea and discussing the upcoming elections and the state of the country. Along with around 70 percent of youths in Sierra Leone, Rabieu Amedou is unemployed. “The worst problem here is that there are no jobs for us. That is why these people are causing trouble in the streets,” he said. Last month clashes between the two main parties left several wounded in the town.

The government has introduced measures to reduce youth unemployment, including creating a national youth commission, set up in 2009 to improve youth skill sets, job opportunities and engagement in local governance, but these initiatives have not solved any problems on a wide scale.

Even for those with steady employment, poverty is a fact of life for most of Kono’s residents despite rapid economic growth. This year the country’s economy will grow by up to 21.3 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund, yet this wealth has yet to be felt by most ordinary Sierra Leoneans.

Sia and her niece Tenema work in a small corrugated-iron shelter beside the main road, selling small bags of groundnuts for 10 US cents, and peppermint sweets for two US cents. “The government has done nothing for us,” said Sia, who plans to vote for the opposition on Saturday . “There is so much inflation, and we have to pay a lot of tax.”

Ethnic dimension

Another common criticism of the current APC government is that they have no time for supporters of opposition parties and members of alternative ethnic groups, including Mendes and Konos. “We are governed by Temnes and Limbas,” complains Sia. In past elections the two main political parties have relied heavily on ethnic support bases, with the Mendes from the south and east voting for the SLPP and the largely northern Temnes voting for the incumbent APC.

“The APC just look out for themselves,” said Jatu Kanu, who owns a restaurant opposite a large mosque in the centre of town. She says her brother was removed from his job as a registrar for the national Pharmacy Board because he was a Mende, and a supporter of the SLPP.

“Koroma is tribalistic,” says another bystander, Francis Biango, who feels the government has not paid enough attention to Kono District.

Corruption

Francis, like many here, points out that while thousands of kilometres of smooth new tarmac roads have been laid all over the country, the east has been excluded and the main road to Kono remains rutted and chronically pot-holed, becoming almost impassable without a 4WD during the rainy season.

Some opposition supporters believe politicians are becoming rich off the proceeds of Sierra Leone’s extensive mineral resources, while the country continues to languish in 180th place out of 187 in the 2011 UN Human Development Index. Most notably, Vice-President Sam Sumana has been faced with a string of allegations of corruption around illicit timber deals. “The politicians enrich themselves to the detriment of us impoverished people. We will never, ever tolerate that,” said another resident of Kono, Mohammed Bangura.

Yet despite the challenges of everyday life in Kono, many here argue that development cannot be achieved overnight and point to the economic growth achieved during the last five years.

Hasan works in the diamond mines around the outskirts of town. He does not like digging for diamonds as it does not pay well, and he hopes to get another job soon but he says he will vote for President Koroma on the basis of his performance so far.

Infrastructural improvements

Perhaps the most of visible of the government’s achievements are the improvements in infrastructure, including what the APC refers to as “the largest road rehabilitation, reconstruction and construction ever [in Sierra Leone]”. Ibrahim Kamara, 38, left Sierra Leone during the civil war, returning to the country in 2011 after 18 years away. He now builds roads, “Ernest [Koromo] is bringing development to this country,” he told IRIN.

In 2007 many Kono residents had no electricity, “Now we have power… So I will vote for the president,” said Kumba, sitting in front of a small shop in the village of Yengema, a few kilometres outside Kono.

Under APC’s current term, a large hydro-electric dam has been built at Bumbuna in the north of the country. Several other smaller power plants have also been built, significantly improving electricity access.

Health

The president has also earned acclaim over health sector reforms, including introducing free health care for children under five, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Despite shortages of drugs and trained medical personnel, the initiative has contributed to the reduction of child and maternal mortality rates. In 2006 Sierra Leone had the world’s worst under-five mortality rates, at 283 out of 1,000 children dying, and has now improved to fourth worst, with 174 deaths per 1,000.

Sierra Leone’s recovery has been slow and painstaking, yet progress has been made. Adorning the APC’s headquarters in Freetown in large red and white print is President Koroma’s campaign slogan, which appeals for patience from the Sierra Leonean electorate as they prepare to cast their votes. “Monkey Still Working” it reads, “Let Baboon Wait”.

More media on the elections...

Here's an interesting article...

http://www.irinnews.org/Report/96766/SIERRA-LEONE-Elections-sampling-opinions-in-the-diamond-rich-east

Still watching and waiting... The European Union observers are now dispatched all over the country. The African Union observers are around. The National Election Watch (civil society) are all over... Union of Photographers is photographing and monitoring the situation around the country. The Carter Center folks are around...

The world is watching. There was even something on CTV about Sierra Leone. I can't watch this because of my internet connection... but it was forwarded to me. Take a gander if you can.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=805044

SLPP, the country's main opposition party, will hold its final Freetown rally on Thursday. It promises to be a "big one". I'm sure I'll be "seeing green" by then. I'll post some pics on Thursday.

S/

A tech-glitch...

Oops... Sorry about that. A definite glitch in the automated processes at this end. My apologies for flooding your inbox with notes from Sierra Leone. While I was trying this "new thing" I somehow managed to publish the latest blog six times. Yikes.

I'm about to try to remedy this... but I beg your patience. Everything I do online takes hours and hours... and obviously I've made some mistakes in the settings (or whatever).

Please accept my apologies... and note that I'm working on fixing things at my end.

Yours, in "techno-illiteracy", from Freetown,
S/

APC rallies...

Okay... I'm going to try something... I'm going to try sending automatic e-mail notifications when this blog is updated. I promise not to overwhelm anyone but starting with this one you might/should receive notice that there's a new blog posted here.

Your name has been added because you are someone special in my life... but, I'm totally open to removing your name from the automated list if your "inbox overfloweth". Don't worry, I won't be offended. Smile. Let me know if you'd like to be removed... and no problem.

Today, as well as being Remembrance Day, is the final rally day in Freetown for the All People's Congress Party. Political rallies are amazing here... awe-inspiring... and somewhat silly, in many respects. A good friend who lives here and reports on West Africa for the Financial Times likens these events to "keggers" in the US. They're drunken parades, for the most part... lots of dancing, loud music, drinking, smoking (gangi, as they say here), etc. But, this form of political motivation is so, so important here in Sierra Leone.

Today, thousands of "red supporters" flooded the streets... Here's a picture taken from my balcony at Congo Cross (5:00 PM). That's the current President, standing in the sunroof, in the white hat tossing soccer balls to the frenzied crowd. No, the President is not a footballer but football is a passion here... it's clearly an attempt to appeal to the youthful followers. And, the battles for those footballs would make the WWF frown.

Party supporters are now coming back out of downtown back through Congo Cross... Looks like I won't get much sleep again tonight.