By: Festus Justus Margai
Email: festus.imperial@gmail.com
Tel: +23279102564 +23231102564
The entire Western Area consisting of market women at Kroo Town, Sani Abacah, Salad Gron, Bombay, Big Makit. Kissy Road, Calaba Town, Wilberforce, Lumley, Goderich and virtually the traders in all the markets across Freetown including men, youths and even the elderly in all walks of life say they want Ahmed Gento Kamara for their next Mayor of Freetown Municipality because he is the fittest candidate who they believe has what it takes to change the face of the capital city – Freetown.
Against this background, it appears Ahmed Gento Kamara as he is popularly known, has already won the race for Mayor of Freetown Municipality even before the starting gun is fired!
According to several people who spoke with this writer, they noted that the reason why they prefer Gento for the position of Mayor of Freetown is that he is already wealthy enough not to enter government for the sake of money. They added that Gento has the clout, capability and wherewithal to do what needs to be done to change the face of the capital city Freetown vis-a-vis modern market systems, adequate water and sanitation and waste disposal systems for the capital city, modern car parks, children’s playgrounds among several other social amenities which have been lacking for several years now.
The people of the Western Area also believe that Gento deserves to be Mayor of Freetown because he is a humanitarian who has proven that although he is wealthy and considerably secure in every sense, he is however benevolent to the extent that he annually provides scholarships for deserving pupils and students; assists single mothers, widows and young girls with money to do business; supports young men with jobs and other opportunities to change their lives.
As all of this is going on, it is understood that the substantive Mayor of Freetown, Aki Sawyer is now having sleepless nights contending with the fact that she will not see light even in the straight part of the tunnel if she dares contest against Gento. Her tenure in office has been marred with regular corruption, tribalism, nepotism and other vices unbecoming of someone expected to be the figurehead of the capital city – Freetown.
Opposition Members of Parliament have also indicated to this writer that they are ready to throw their support behind Gento Kamara because they have a lot of respect for his developmental strides, credibility, honesty, transparency and benevolence. They added that they are impressed with Gento Kamara’s dealings with the general public and the manner in which he has been carrying himself over the last few years.
According to them, they are also in support of Gento Kamara because they believe he can change the face of Freetown to become the envy of other capital cities in West Africa and beyond, adding that this time, it should be about politics, but about who has the clout, experience and capability to deliver what the people of Sierra Leone and in particular the residents of the capital city – Freetown are yearning for.
Indeed, no one irrespective of the party one belongs to, will be surprised when at the end of the June 24 general elections, Gento Kamara emerges Mayor of Freetown Municipality.
Some people have already started celebrating!!!