President Bio’s Address at Harvard Kennedy School: The important message you may have missed

Many Sierra Leoneans may have come across President Julius Maada Bio’s recent address at Harvard Kennedy School - - where he once again stated his readiness to handover power when 2028 comes. This is nothing beyond the ordinary. Those who ruled before him already set the precedent he’s set to follow.

Before him the late former president Ahmed Tejan Kabba ruled for two terms and peacefully handed over power. His immediate predecessor Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma did same. So for Bio, following the trajectory is the bare minimum.

The conundrum for him is that he is caught between protecting his name and doing what his party members want. The SLPP is staring opposition right in the face. Such a reality has unsettled the party. As such you have people desperately urging President Bio to make sure they don’t go to opposition.

People like the SLPP Chairman Jimmy Batilo Songa have openly said they depend heavily on the president for the 2028 elections. Watch the clip here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19C3yVS7Bs/

This sort of gives you a picture of how it looks like within the SLPP. But go back to the address and take the hints. Bio recounted being under similar pressure in 1996 to not handover power. The pressure, he said, came from people he had great respect for. But at the end of the day, he handed over power.

There are different accounts as to what really led to his decision. He claims to have done so voluntarily to restore democracy. Others say he was forced. Whatever the case was, one thing stood at the top, which is that power belongs to the people.

This lesson is important for people who think otherwise. Bio will disappoint all of them - and that is what he was communicating but in a different language that will make sense in 2028.