Political Accountability in Sierra Leone: A Component of Good Governance

Fishermen also want politicians to be accountable

The promotion of democratic governance especially in Third World countries like those in the West African sub-region goes beyond merely electing leaders to positions of trust. It encompasses the need for a robust and effective system of ensuring that those entrusted with the national duty to govern meet the expectations of the electorate. Politicians look to the people when electioneering processes are at hand and that’s when   the relevance of the ‘people’s power’ is recognized.

The election of politicians into government positions is just one step of ensuring the continuation of the concept of democracy- ‘a government of, for and by the people’. At the same time, the people should be seen as part of the decision making process of the state. And this is why today in most developing countries, there is the process of decentralizing state functions to the local level. In the case of Sierra Leone, there is an effective system of decentralization which has made it possible for the creation of local councils across the country. In effect local councils have been helping in the development drive undertaken by the central governments across Africa.

However the ideal situation for the promotion of democracy and good governance also dictates that there should be openness in the way government operates and at the same time, the people should be well informed and also be involved in the running of the state.

This appears not to be the case in Sierra Leone especially from the view point of political parties not being accountable to the people. Take for instance the People’s Movement for Democratic Change party of Charles Francis Margia. Reports in the country indicate that this party was given large sum of money amounting to one hundred and forty five thousand dollars by then Opposition Leader Ernest Bai Koroma. This money was meant to be used for political campaign during the runoff elections, following the decision by Francis Margai to support the APC.

Giving a prelude to the issue, it all started when all of the political parties in Sierra Leone during the Presidential elections of 2007 failed to win the elections during the first rounds of voting. As a result there, was a run off, and that was how one of the leading parties, the PMDC decided to give support to the All People’s Congress party of Ernest Bai Koroma.

It should be noted however that the People’s Movement for Democratic Change was created out of the desire to bridge the tribal and regional politics that was and perhaps still at play in Sierra Leone between the then two leading parties; the SLPP and APC. It was a tradition in Sierra Leone’s politics for the south-easterners to cast their voters largely for the Sierra Leone People’s Party and those in the West/north doing likewise for the ruling APC.

This type of political arrangement continued in the country for years and it is even rumoured that such arrangement served as one major factor for the country’s decade long civil war. And in trying to bridge that regional and tribal gap, the People’s Movement for Democratic Change was formed. Another reason for it formation is that the founding father of the party, Charles Margai was denied the leadership of the SLPP twice and he realized that was no way he could still continue  being with the SLPP.

The PMDC has always spoken of the need for political leaders to be accountable to the people, but it has so far failed to exhibit same in the country’s body politic. I refer to the over 140,000 dollars that was given to the PMDC by the then opposition leader Ernest Koroma. So far, the PMDC leadership has failed to give account to the people on how this money was expended; we have even learnt about how the money was distributed among key members of the party, including one serving deputy minister in the current government, much to the disappointment of the people of this country.

This lack of accountability on the part of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change may have an adverse effect on their political chances for the pending 2012 general elections. This they may not want to accept for now. But it will affect them!! This is so because, one major factor that led to the SLPP being butted out of office was their seeming lack of openness and not been accountable to the people.  We have also seen the same in other West African States. Take Guinea Conakry as an example; most often than not, the country has been managed by military regimes and the military  have always  based their reasons for coming into the country’s political setup due to the lack of political openness by civilian regimes.  Perhaps, lack of political openness in governance could be seen as a reason that led to the democratic ‘over throw’ of the John Kuffor’s party from power in Ghana.

The People’s Movement for Democratic Change should therefore live up to the expectations of Sierra Leoneans  by ensuring that they explain to the people how they expended money received on behalf of the people; the party should be seen setting the pace, when it comes to the observance of democratic principles . Again, the party’s leadership should not be seen hiding on the political alliance it has with the ruling All People’s Congress party of President Ernest Bai Koroma.

The average Sierra Leonean is at the moment conscious of what is happening in the day to day running of the state. The people  know that  it is only when their leaders are politically accountable to them that they (electorate) can be well informed and ready to cast their votes for them (political class) during election time.

Political accountable will greatly determine the success of a given political party in power. This may even be applied to the case of the ruling All People’s Congress of President Ernest Bai Koroma, a government that came to power on the platform of openness and accountability. This is being manifested by the decision of the government to allow the Anti Corruption Commission to operate freely and independently.

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