A RESPONSE TO AN ARTICLE IN THE GLOBAL TIMES WRITTEN BY A GHOST.

This is a response to the article published in the Global Times on line, written by an unidentified author titled Kandeh Yumkella, and the Flagbearership of SLPP. To the coward who wrote the article, I would first of all like to say thank you for officially exposing your narrow mindedness, and your obvious ignorance, of the tenets of our great SLPP party, which is One Country, One People, and an even greater ignorance of the SLPP Constitution, and the Sierra Leone National Constitution. The argument you present in your article “Kandeh Yumkella and the Flagbearership of SLPP” is condescending, grossly misguided, a travesty to the democratic process, and flawed at best. You start off by characterizing Dr. Yumkella as the “new kid on the block…looking down on the party,” and suggesting that his view is “the party needs him more than he needs the party.” These are clearly opinions that are not supported with facts, and opinions have no place in an objective analysis. Your characterization of a man with such immense charisma and humility is disturbing.  This man has earned the respect and admiration of millions of Sierra Leonean citizens at home and at broad, as well as the respect of world leaders across the globe.  Therefore your attempt to minimize his importance in our national political discourse and to paint him as arrogant is unacceptable and should never be tolerated.    Anyone with a limited knowledge of a democratic political system understands the role of political parties in choosing candidates that can mobilize voters.  While you cite the constitution about the importance of belonging to a political party when seeking political office, you fail to state a timeframe that is legally permissible for such a declaration.  Moreover, you categorically state “SLPP leadership be limited to those who already generally known to have been tested and proven to know the party well and to have personally serve the party well.”  Yet you did not state for the public record who these individuals are, and instead you conveniently opted to singlehandedly attack Dr. Yumkella and his supporters for seeking an inclusive process that will simulate political participation in Sierra Leone.  Should we deny a viable candidate like Dr. Yumkella the opportunity to lead SLPP and lead our country because he has not been a registered member of the party long enough based on your arbitrary timeframe?  It is evident that your desire is to put the unrelenting ambition of your so-called “tested candidates” before the interest of the party and inevitably the interest of the nation even when they are proven to be unelectable in a presidential election.  Your argument is not only absurd, it is dangerous and has negative consequences. Without oversimplifying this issue, when a Sierra Leonean citizen who seeks political office registers for a political party is insignificant as long as it is done within a legally permissible timeframe as ascribed by the constitution.  It means anything to millions of Sierra Leoneans who are feed up with lack of unemployment opportunities, inadequate health care, poor infrastructures, a failing educational system, and uncontrollable corruption as long as the candidate meets the constitutional standard.  Moreover, your assertion the SLPP will not be hijacked by any upstart on the basis of wealth or pedigree without having made any significant contribution to the party and the nation is an insult to the intelligence of those who have the legal authority to make such decision.  Dr. Yumkella’s record and his commitment to the development of his nation is strong, and his eligibility to lead the party will ultimately be decided by the party delegates, and not the party elites.  Finally you should be reminded that being a UN diplomat does not prevent one from becoming a president of a nation.  For example, Kurt Waldheim served as president of Austria after having served as Secretary General of the United Nations.  Therefore your comparison with the lack of interest of Kofi Annan and Boutros Boutros Ghali to serve in the highest office of their nation as a result of having been an international civil servant within the United Nations to Dr. Yumkella’s ability to lead Sierra Leone is unfounded. I like your constant contradiction in promoting the irrelevance of a U.N job, but at the same time give it credence, by alluding to how KKY got into the U.N. What is irrelevant must not be given credence through a process of entering the U.N system by your claim. Now let us shift the Focus from the U.N as an organization which most of KKY's critics seem to relentlessly bang on, as a prerequisite of a robust argument against his candidature. The UN argument is a diversion from what really matters. What is relevant and should be the topic of scrutiny for KKY's critics, is to advance rational evaluation and challenges to his skills, knowledge, expertise, and experience . As a leader in international development cooperation for over 20 years, Dr. Yumkella has actively promoted important initiatives and international partnerships for the cause of sustainable development. He is a strong believer that the most effective way to fight poverty is to strengthen the productive capacities of countries and people, enhance their adaptive capabilities to use modern technology, and to commercialize new knowledge.   At this juncture in our political history the focus should be on building democratic institutions, promoting a vibrant civil society, free and fair elections, and the rule of law.  Therefore, we should not allow demagoguery to intimidate well intentioned citizens who are interested in working towards good governance and improving the welfare of all Sierra Leoneans regardless of class and ethnicity BY Brima Bah