In a recent interview on AYV Media Empire’s flagship program, “Wake Up Sierra Leone,” Bryan David Hunt, the U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, emphasized the need for Sierra Leone to move beyond the political hijacking of civil societies and pressure groups.
Ambassador Hunt called for political parties to clearly assert the independence of these organizations.
Addressing the recently held Sierra Leone Bar Association elections, Ambassador Hunt highlighted that such elections should not be dominated by the interests of major political parties, such as the APC and SLPP.
“The election is about selecting a leader who will effectively promote the rule of law, equal treatment before the law, and human rights,” he stated. “There is no APC or SLPP way to uphold the rule of law; there is just the rule of law.”
Hunt expressed concern over the pervasive political division within the country, noting that even church and mosque management committees are not immune to the APC versus SLPP rivalry.
He urged Sierra Leoneans to transcend these divisions and identify themselves primarily as Sierra Leoneans, rather than as members of a particular political party.
“I have encountered well-educated individuals who view political allegiance as a matter of tribal loyalty, which is dangerous. Statements like ‘he betrayed his tribe, he should be APC’ or ‘she should be SLPP’ need to be eradicated from our discourse,” he warned.
Hunt underscored that the current mindset, where opposing political affiliations lead to the outright dismissal of each other’s ideas, is detrimental to national progress.
“National issues should be viewed through a national lens, not a political party lens,” he concluded, calling for a unified approach to the country’s development.
