Jawei Chiefdom in the Kailahun district, Eastern Sierra Leone is a single chiefdom Constituency often called “Constituency 007”.
Rich in arable land and forest, Jawei Chiefdom shares border with its shut neighbouring chiefdoms of Njaluahun, separated by the Moa River and Malema Chiefdom on the different aspect.
The three chiefdoms have lived collectively in peace even throughout nationwide political durations. They follow a wealthy and admirable tradition often called the “Jawei Culture” which symbolizes peace, not solely amongst the individuals of Jawei Chiefdom but in addition amongst the individuals of the three sister chiefdoms of Jawei, Njaluahun and Malema chiefdoms.
For so a few years, Jawei Chiefdom was both merged with Nyaluahun Chiefdom to make a Constituency or merged with Malema Chiefdom to make one.
In 2002, simply after the decade lengthy civil conflict, a really peaceable parliamentary election was carried out beneath the District Block Proportional Representation System thereby ushering in Honorable J. Q. B. Sawi into Parliament.
In 2012, at the demise of Honorable J. Q. B. Sawi when political constituency system resumed, Jawei Chiefdom grew to become a Single Constituency Chiefdom identified by then as Constituency 006 now 007, with Hon. Moinina Conteh as the first Honorable to take pleasure in the highest stage of unity beneath the Sierra Leone People’s Party ticket.
Since then and in the final fifteen years, Jawei Chiefdom had remained a one chiefdom constituency and was first represented in Parliament by two successive MPs from the present ruling SLPP each of whom occupied the seat in Parliament throughout the All People’s Congress Party (APC) regime. Ironically, the present MP is an Independent MP now occupying the Constituency 007 seat beneath the SLPP led Government.
The two General Elections which despatched to parliament Honorable Moinina Conteh and Honorable Maada Moiwai Momoh in 2007 and 2012 respectively had been reportedly very peaceable as in opposition to the final one held in 2018 which awarded the Constituency 007 seat to Honorable Quinton Salia Konneh beneath the Independent ticket.
The violent assaults of individuals throughout rallies of the 2018 parliamentary elections in Jawei Chiefdom countered the accolade of Jawei chiefdom as being a peaceable chiefdom and turned the as soon as peaceable chiefdom right into a politically hostile land.
For extra on this historical past, do take a second to undergo how it began, what’s the present scenario and what resolution I might personally proffer at the finish of this write-up.
The 2018 political disaster that has disadvantaged Jawei of the a lot wanted growth packages is extra of a private vendetta than a political battle as individuals of the similar political occasion combat each other.
The 2018 parliamentary election in Constituency 007, formally 006 had gained its background from grudges collected from the 2012 image award contest of the SLPP and led to a vindictive and harmful combat amongst members of the similar political occasion – the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP).
This inner wrangling expanded to encourage the different political events to merge and combat a standard enemy ,the incumbent SLPP MP Maada Moiwai Momoh and ushered in an Independent candidate to symbolize Jawei Chiefdom or Constituency 007.
It all began with the battle for the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) image for the parliamentary seat of Constituency 007 in Kailahun district.
As a technique to restrict intraparty fights and defections, the occasion has an inner assist mechanism with the understanding that each one factions (loosing or successful) will assist whoever that emerges the winner in such elections. This transfer was to maintain the general victory of the SLPP occasion in the Constituency. For the most half, this was not the case in the Quinton Salia Konneh and Maada Moiwai Momoh elections as we’ll later come to see on this article.
In all of these preparations, the most blatant show of hurly-burly was in 2018 which has considerably been tagged as the most violent parliamentary image election in the historical past of that constituency.
But simply earlier than that, in 2012. former Honorable Moinina Conteh who was searching for a second time period contested for the SLPP ticket however was defeated by Maada Moiwai Momoh for the seat of Constituency 007. Maada Moiwai ended up representing the Constituency in Parliament.
Whilst serving his time period, Karmoh Conteh (son to Moinina Conteh) occurred to work as an Administrative Staff in Parliament (Senior Committee Clerk). Karmoh Conteh later used his workplace to revenge his father’s dealings with Maada Moiwai Momoh by lobbying in opposition to some of his makes an attempt to convey growth to the chiefdom.
Regrettably, this singular motion by Karmoh disadvantaged a complete Chiefdom of growth for a complete time period; one thing that has been constantly echoed by Maada Moiwai. This similar Karmoh will later present as much as contest for the SLPP parliamentary ticket in 2023 to nonetheless proceed to combat Maada Moiwai.
The aftermath of that election left a lot animosity between the two as Hon. Moinina Conteh had accused Maada Moiwai Momoh of not permitting him to go for a second time period.
As far as Moinina Conteh was involved, this was an affront to his political ambitions and it was an excessive amount of to take.
The ousted Hon Moinina Conteh was so bitter that he supported the candidature of an Independent candidate from the dwelling city of Honorable Maada Moiwai Momoh however misplaced woefully in the 2012 elections.
Little might many SLPP supporters imagine {that a} former SLPP honorable might overtly assist an Independent candidate in opposition to the occasion that despatched him to Parliament.
Fast ahead 2018, Maada Moiwai Momoh got here again to hunt for an SLPP ticket which he ended up successful for his second time period, on fifth January 2018 after getting 25 votes as in opposition to Quinton Salia Konneh who secured 8 votes solely.
Quinton Salia Konneh, a younger social employee who misplaced in opposition to Maada Moiwai Momoh couldn’t move most of the requirements set by the Party Executive for an SLPP ticket to parliament. The choice to not award Quinton Salia Konneh was now maximized by the 2012 ousted MP as a chance to spit fireplace again at Maada Moiwai Momoh for what he did to him in 2012.
The former MP, Moinina Conteh seized the alternative in influencing Quinton Salia Konneh who had misplaced to Moiwai to contest for Parliamentary seat beneath an Independent ticket.
Even although there have been doubts over him being a real son of Jawei Chiefdom, Moinina Conteh ignored all of these crimson lights to render a watch for a watch for Maada Momoh. In reality he was quoted severally in public locations to have vowed by no means to permit Maada Moiwai Momoh to win the seat he had occupied in Parliament. Apparently, most individuals got here to know Quinton Salia Konneh as extra of a “Bo Town” Boy than a “Daru Borbor”.
Moinina Conteh later mobilized different disgruntled SLPP supporters who had supported Quinton Salia Konneh in that election to type a powerful resistance in opposition to the SLPP image winner of the seat.
The 2018 Elections lastly got here and it occurred that Quinton Salia Konneh, the younger fortunate Independent candidate was blessed by the merger of disgruntled SLPP supporters sandwiched by supporters of the All Peoples Congress Party and gained the elections.
They had been satisfied to combat their frequent enemy which was the SLPP as represented by Maada Moiwai Momoh. They fought the nice SLPP and gained in Kailahun District.
Since then there was skirmishes and tensions right here and there. Reports of ambushes, burning of rice farms had been the tales of that election between the individuals and their supporters.
When he gained the Elections, observers had anticipated Quinton to be the peace breaker however he ended up being extra of a menace and suppressor of SLPP supporters than anybody in Jawei Chiefdom.
He was allegedly identified to have instigated his supporters to stab some SLPP supporters. On one event, it was alleged that his supporters had been identified to have pelted stones at Senior SLPP Officers like Dr. Prince Harding. Haven been pressured by disgruntled SLPP supporters and different distinguished APC members, Quinton went to the extent of suing the SLPP Chairlady Baindu Kormoh for allegedly referring to him as a “thief”. One wouldn’t want to elucidate how these instances went. They had been adjourned sine die (indefinitely).
Judging politics on this nation, a problem of this nature arose in Kenema throughout the reign of the Former President Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabba, between Late Brima Kargbo and the Late Mohamed Benson Suwu following the battle over who ought to govern the Kenema City.
Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabba set each contenders apart for a impartial particular person to take the place. The choice was in the proper route to reinforce peace and construct the assist base of the SLPP in that area. It ended up yielding the desired dividend.
From the look of issues, the happenings of the 2012 and 2018 elections have brought about a colossal division inside the SLPP in Jawei Chiefdom. Supporters of Quinton Salia Konneh, Maada Moiwai Momoh and Moinina Conteh hardly see eye to eye. How can we belief them? How can we belief individuals who have proven us that their curiosity is extra essential than the curiosity of the Chiefdom?
What is much more stunning is the change of allegiance by Hon. Moinina Conteh from Quinton Salia Konneh to that of his Son- Karmoh Conteh. Such a blatant show of hypocrisy ego and conceitedness! The individuals of Jawei want a breath of recent air. Whilst different constituencies are making head method in phrases of growth, these set of people have made it their job for the chiefdom to stay in a perpetual combat.
The query on the lips of most individuals involved is that this? Do we’d like a impartial face to symbolize our individuals in Jawei Chiefdom? The reply is definitely sure.
I might have superior many causes in assist of this query however I’m going to restrict myself to only three.
First, we will’t depend on individuals who have brought about political division and tensions in our Chiefdom. We could be taking pictures ourselves in the leg if we achieve this. This is the time we have to come collectively as a individuals and determine the most suited candidate to symbolize Constituency 007.
Second, with all the disagreement on phrases in addition to candidature, our greatest guess is a brand new face, new vitality and new program of growth for our individuals and Chiefdom.
Lastly the value of a chronic peace -making effort at the moment might be an excessive amount of to pay. Considering the time now, any try to dealer a peace deal will depart Jawei extra divided than it’s. Simple purpose is who amongst these aggrieved factions is able to let go? We should be capable to present solutions to those questions as we search to develop our beloved Chiefdom.
