By Amara Thoronka
Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, fondly called KKY, officially joined governing Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) on Saturday, 14thOctober, 2023, after tendering his resignation from his brainchild National Grand Coalition (NGC) party in a letter dated 13th October, 2023.
The homecoming ceremony was held at the SLPP’s headquarters at Wallace Johnson Street, Freetown.
Making a statement, Dr. Yumkellh said his return to the SLPP is to unify the country and continue his professional relationship with President Bio.
“Today, I stand in front of you with my family and other relatives to [confirm] that indeed I have officially come back to my home. President Bio and I have met in different places. He believes that when I say yes, I mean yes. My coming here is to unify this country,” he said.
The 2018 NGC presidential candidate thanked members, supporters and all those in the NGC for their support to him. He encouraged NGC members and supporters to support President Bio, saying President Bio will continue to deliver on his manifesto promises.
He disclosed that one of his reasons to return to the SLPP is the development aspiration for Sierra Leone, including the ‘FEED SALONE’ initiative which aims at realizing and sustaining food self-sufficiency.
On lawmaking, KYY said: “Parliament is vital. We have to take some bills to that House so that things will be fine in this nation. I have not come back to the party for politics but to work for the betterment of this nation.”
In her statement, First Lady Madam Fatima Maada Bio First Lady expressed thanks to Sierra Leoneans for giving his husband a second mandate.
She said President Bio is committed to rebranding the country. “My husband, the President, is a listening person. Not everyone will be appointed. If President Bio has the chance to appoint everyone, he would do so. If you don’t have position now, please continue to be patient and put more effort and wait. What Allah has marked for you, it will never miss you,” she encouraged those present.
According to KKY, if the SLPP is to win the 2028 general elections, the party needs to work hard.
Welcoming KKY to the SLPP, Chairman of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party, Dr. Prince Harding, said KKY contributed hugely to the success of the SLPP in the June 2023 polls.
Dr. Harding encouraged members and supporters of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party to join President Bio in developing the country.
In his resignation letter from the NGC, Dr. Yumkella wrote: “I write to tender my resignation from the National Grand Coalition (NGC) party effective immediately…”
According to Dr. Yumkella, the decision to resign from the NGC has not been taken lightly. He stated that he consulted lots of stakeholders within the party (NGC). “This decision has not been taken lightly, and it is with mixed emotions that I take this step. In the past few days, I have had meetings and discussions with the founders group, the Youth Wing, the Elders and Trustees Council and the National Officers…,” he said.
Dr. Yumkella was a member of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) before the 2018 elections. He left the SLPP to form the NGC on whose ticket he contested in the 2018 presidential and parliamentary elections. He came third in the presidential election and won the parliamentary seat he contested for in Kambia District. He was leader of NGC in Parliament and top debater. The NGC and the governing SLPP had a coalition in the June 2023 elections. The SLPP government was re-elected.
President Julius Maada Bio recently appointed KKY as Chairman – Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security. Serving in this role according to him requires undivided attention. “The responsibilities associated with this role are monumental and require my undivided attention. It is imperative, therefore that I focus my energy and expertise on these critical issues to ensure that we scale up adaptation. I will also work towards facilitating direct access to climate finance, bolstering grassroots expertise, promoting renewable energy, and addressing food security challenges. To serve effectively in these roles, I must relinquish my responsibilities within the NGC party,” he explained in his resignation letter.
This was what KKY wrote after meeting with President Julius Maada Bio and Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh in a build up to the 2023 elections:
“Today, Wednesday 12/04/2023, together with the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, I met with the distinguished Honourable Dr. Kandeh Yumkella of the National Grand Coalition Party at the State House, Freetown. We discussed various development and governance issues facing our beloved nation. We exchanged ideas on ways of promoting our government’s people-oriented policies. We agreed on the need to build a progressive alliance to advance transformative development and strengthen national cohesion. Together we will move Sierra Leone towards the right direction for our current and future generation. After a year of dialogue, we have reached a crucial turning point in our country’s political history, where we prioritize peace and set aside personal ambitions for a better Salone. Together, we will make a difference. Let us continue to work towards a brighter future for Sierra Leone. Thank you President Bio and VP Juldeh Jalloh for a productive meeting.”
There are speculations of KKY succeeding President Bio after the President’s second and final term which should end in 2028.
