Today, Thursday the 9th of October, a "brother" okada rider (motorcycle taxis) was tragically killed while trying to escape the police and their "task force" of boys who used to be okada riders. Violence and rioting erupted on the downtown streets of Freetown as throngs of fellow okada riders and friends took to the streets. Police fired tear gas and live rounds to disburse crowds.
Earlier today, I was in downtown Freetown, on my little motorbike, and talked to several of the whip/cane armed police. They were stationed along Siaka Stevens Street, the main commercial street in downtown... and they meant to cleanse the streets of "lawless okada riders". There were literally hundreds of police personnel...
I asked the question... "why?" and was told two things... One, the President was set to drive down the road in his 14 vehicle convoy to the World Bank offices to make a video conference appearance. Two, so the many visitors wouldn't encounter the congestion and lawlessness of the streets - namely okada riders, while they visited Freetown.
Good grief... I again asked, "if you have a pimple... and a broken leg, which one do you deal with first?"
Ebola is ravaging this country... and the police are worried about some traffic congestion and "lawless" okada riders??? Again, I'd rather have a HUNDRED "lawless" okada riders than ONE rotten, thieving politician.
The prisons are full of okada riders... and taxi drivers. This GoSL policy (or lack of) around public transportation drives me nuts... and I'm sure drives others a little crazy too. Yes, pun intended.
We don't need to be dealing with a few bad apples amongst the thousands of okada riders who are trying to feed their families and/or care for mothers, fathers, children, aunties or uncles. Sheesh.
Priorities!!!! Please!!!!
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