LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

To the western European nations, it is inconceivable to talk about DEMOCRACY without reference to multi-party democracy. As an African socialist (Nkrumanist), I view with scenticism the multi-party political system in Africa at the moment as a luxury that Africans can ill afford to practice. (They cannot even print and pay for their own ballot papers).

If it is a treatment or solution to our socio-economic ills or malady, it has to be diluted. But if the Africans are forced to practice democracy (away from our cultural context) without modification or until the democratic pre–requisites are available, it can easily FAN the flames of tribalism, Regionalism and other unwholesome factionalisms that will make the fragile African state like Uganda, Somalia DR-Congo, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Liberia and sierra Leone that have tasted multiparty rivalries of late to be unstable and ungovernable. African nations or states are not yet unified states-(far from it).

Therefore, my position is that Africa (I mean Sierra Leone) is not yet ripe or ready for the western multiparty politics of the United states of American (USA) or United Kingdom variety or brands without modification. But what remains interesting is that African leaders (the SLPP or APC) are expected to SWALLOW or rather pretend to adapt the democratic multi-party political system when in actual fact they are only practicing tribalism, regionalism and sectionalism (South–eastern group vs. the North Western group). The Western multi-party democratic system sees this as approximating their concept of democracy.

The poor African countries project this to the outside world (Tony Blair of UK comes to visit sierra Leone during the regime of APC to give confidence to the ruling party (APC).This is done in order to remain to benefit from western democratic donor countries. How can Africans remain to be democratic when they are economically dependent?

Interestingly, where multi-party democracy is lacking in Africa (according to the west), pressure is often mounted and exerted by the rich international western agencies (we have no right to invite Ghadifi of Libya and so SLPP must give way to APC if we are to remain to benefit from their donations (IMMAT) and international trade.

The African states are also measured or rather their positions are determined for foreign aid and relationship as either good or bad base on our (African) internal political system (whether it is multi-party or not) what a shame.

My view is that the western multi-party democracy is not workable in Africa. In Sierra Leone for example the multi-party has been based on tribal and regional lines (we have on record 13 political parties representing the 13 main tribes in Sierra Leone. Each tribe is now a Ruling House)

is why when APC a northern based party comes into power as the ruling party (Regime) makes the southeasterners jobless in preference to the northerners whether qualified, experienced and /or skilled who are in the civil service, police, Army or the parastatal the spoil system is here clearly demonstrated. Is this what the multi-party democracy is all about? If it is then my reaction is Multi-Party Democracy My Foot!

And readers will prove me right or wrong when the Local Government election results will be made public. There will be NO SLPP Mayor or Chairman in the Northern Province and of course the South–Eastern Provinces even though liberal to a fault will not have any APC Mayor or Chairman. Mark that.

Thank you.
The Professor