A LETTER TO ALL THE NEWLY ELECTED PARLIAMENTARIANS IN SIERRA LEONE DR. FULLAH DESK

Dear MPs,

It is my pleasure to warmly congratulate you as you have just been elected by your people in your various constituencies. I hope you are waxing well. You have been elected by your people, but your election from your people is not a matter to me anymore. That one is done and dusted. Yes! The matter I want to bring to your ears is about the impact/ legacy you are going to leave after your five years tenure in office. Which legacy are you going to leave to this nation!!?  For the writer, legacy can be two-fold: good or bad. As parliamentarians, I want you to focus on good legacy. How you live/ spend your time in parliament matters more than your accomplishments. Your attitudes and actions create your legacy. If you approach each day with gratitude and enthusiasm, you will live a fulfilling life and leave a positive legacy. Your people in your constituencies will remember how you made them feel more than the specifics of what you did. So make sure your representation in this 6^th Parliament matters, with kindness, compassion, and commitment. Then your legacy will uplift and inspire others. Believe it or not, many/ some people died for your sake in the line of the past elections. As you have won, the ball is in your court. what impact are you going to create to your electorates?

As parliamentarians, leaving a legacy is important for many reasons. It can serve as an example for future generations, preserving memories and teaching valuable life lessons. It can also be a source of pride and motivation, inspiring other future parliamentarians to strive for greatness, regardless of their circumstances, tribe, region and political attachment. What happened on Wednesday 23rd November, 2022 was a grim chapter in the history of Sierra Leone’s Parliament, after members of Parliament went on the rampage, hurling objects and punching one another as the Speaker – Dr Abass Bundu, lost control in an ill-tempered debate over new electoral laws that could govern presidential and general elections next June. So sad for the image of this country!! Do you want to go to parliament and fight or behave recklessly? The Constitution of Sierra Leone states that “All Members of Parliament shall regard themselves as representatives of the people of Sierra Leone and desist from any conduct which they seek improperly to enrich them or alienate themselves from the people… All members of Parliament shall maintain the dignity and image of Parliament both during the sittings in Parliament as well as in their acts and activities outside Parliament.”

I want to see MPs in this 6^th parliament to ensure that citizens’ voices are reflected in budgets and public policy and to assist constituents to gain access to governmental services. As an MP you should help improve constituency relations by making regular visits to constituencies, particularly while Parliament is on recess and, in some cases, establishing offices in their constituencies. Regular contact with constituents enables the MP to easily identify their needs and elicit their input on policy debates. Frequent interactions between MPs and citizens also facilitate information sharing that could make government more accountable to the people. You can also help achieve this outcome by informing citizens about legislative actions.

Have LOVE for your people (especially those who elected you). Love is one of the most powerful emotions we experience as human beings. It can give us strength in difficult times, comfort in moments of sorrow, and joy in moments of happiness. Love is also one of the most important things we can give to others. When we show love and commitment to our family and friends, we help to create solid and lasting relationships. As parliamentarians if you show love and enthusiasm for your electorates, you help to make your workplaces more positive and productive. And when you show love and respect for all people, regardless of who they are or what they believe, you help to create a more just and peaceful world. So no matter what you do or which constituency you hail from, always remember that love is the most important thing you can give.