Over the past two weeks, Mayor-elect Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has come under attack on Social Media and, by way of official reprimand, by the supervisory Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development of the Government of Sierra Leone, for her international engagements; while refusing to take up office in Freetown, the country’s capital city.
As she has regularly boasted on Social Media herself, the last two months have seen Mayor-elect Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr participate in various international seminars, workshops, and conferences abroad on issues bordering on local government, cities administration, and climate change, among others.
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, as an individual, has no compelling competence or grounding in the subject matters being discussed at these international seminars, workshops, and conferences, either by way of academic background, accumulated experience from civil society activism, or professional life.
Contrary to what she wants to lead Freetonians and her All People’s Congress (APC) supporters to believe, Mayor-elect Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has been participating in these international seminars, workshops, and conferences abroad on the merit of the position she holds as Mayor-elect. She is at these international events because she is relevant to the discussions as the Mayor-elect, who is going to provide political leadership in the implementation of the outcomes and decisions of the seminars, workshops, and conferences.
It is precisely her acceptance to participate in international events bordering on local government, cities administration, and climate change, on the merit of the position she holds as Mayor-elect; while refusing to take the oath of office and serve Freetown that has angered people. Among the many angry citizens of Freetown are those who have professed openly on Social Media of being supporters of the APC.
It is clearly a betrayal to the citizens of Freetown who voted for Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr that she is nowhere to be found near Freetown at a time when the slums are flooding during this rainy season, but seen on Social Media boasting about the important people she is meeting abroad. It is clearly a betrayal of the APC party that while her compatriot Councilors of the Freetown City Council are languishing in poverty as a price to pay for loyalty to their Party’s call to boycott the Government, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr is earning thousands of dollars in allowances from her participation in international events on the merit of being the Mayor-elect.
