APC Should Learn from Its Women’s Congress
Ya Umarr
Who would have thought it would be the women’s Congress to succeed where so many had failed? I’d bet it were easier to get Netanyahu and Hizbullah to share a room than to see Samura and the embattled APC executive sit down at the same table; yet, somehow, the women of the party managed to do the impossible. The gathering orchestrated by the women’s leadership, may have begun as a simple conference but, in reality, it was an executive takeover, giving voice to the party at a time when the leadership had been notably silent since the end of the Tripartite investigations. One could understand why the chairman was bitter.
For months, the APC leadership had avoided a face-to-face with the public. The atmosphere at party headquarters was thick with unspoken tensions and a large concentration of testosterone—all male ego, with the chairman’s camp on one side and Samura Kamara’s supporters on the other. Yet, in an extraordinary twist, the women’s congress managed to soften the hostility, infusing the situation with a healthy dose of estrogen to restore balance. For the first time since the investigations, all stakeholders sat down together on a common platform.
In this extraordinary meeting, which could pass for a party press conference, they inadvertently addressed concerns about the party’s internal struggles and electoral justice. The meeting felt like a National Unity Agreement in the making, though unintentionally so, as the men—each carrying their own grievances—finally started to speak openly. As the saying goes, “when we are talking, we are not fighting.” Dialogue, after all, is the first step toward resolution, and that’s precisely what the women achieved: getting everyone to the table to talk.
For the party’s leadership, particularly the chairman and former flagbearer Samura Kamara, this was a much-needed outlet. Though the chairman’s speech was peppered with complaints, he was able to clear up many misunderstandings, including the rumors that there was no love lost between him and former President Ernest Bai Koroma. He reminded everyone that he had played a crucial role in the court case filed in 2018 on behalf of Samura and the APC.
This kind of direct dialogue dispels rumors—something the APC has sorely lacked in recent times.
Samura Kamara, meanwhile, took the opportunity to educate his comrades on the deeper meaning of “electoral justice,” a term he had introduced but had not yet fully explained. He emphasized the importance of the media in shaping public discourse and urged for responsible reporting.
His declaration that women are the strength of the party and of democracy in Sierra Leone resonated, as it was the women who had brought him and the APC executive together in the first place. His promise to engage further in future dialogue marks a critical turning point—one that the party should seize to foster genuine conversations and bridge the divide among its factions.
Perhaps the fieriest moment came from Abdul Kargbo, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. His candid critique of the APC’s failures leading up to the elections—particularly their lack of action in confronting the regime—was a wake-up call to the party. From the failure to contest the mid-term census to their silence on the exclusion of over 200,000 voters from the register, Kargbo’s outburst highlighted the party’s inertia, which, he argued, emboldened the Bio regime to continue manipulating the electoral process.
The most striking takeaway was his challenge to the leadership, urging them to be prepared to sacrifice for the party. He reminded them that no party wins power on a silver platter—they must fight for it and be ready to die for the cause if necessary. I hope he carries this same spirit to the Sierra Leone Parliament and the ECOWAS Parliament, where his resolve and commitment can make an even greater impact.
For all the posturing, frustrations, and bitterness on display, one thing became clear—the women of the APC, through their bold initiative, had done what the men could not.
I hope the other organs of the party take a cue, as Samura urged, and that future engagements will include other key figures like Richard Konteh, Sam Sumana, Kelfala Marrah, and others. The women have created a space for dialogue, set the stage for healing, and reminded everyone that progress starts with conversation.
Now, it’s up to the APC to build on this moment and work toward a future of unity, action and electoral justice.