Sierra Leone Telegraph: 12 December 2021:
Dr Kandeh Yumkella, Member of Parliament for Constituency 062, Samu Chiefdom in Kambia District was honoured with the “distinguished award” under the “Global Impact category” at the 11th Edition of the African Achievers Award.
Held at the Kensington Palace in London, the organizers recognized Yumkella for his “selfless service to Sierra Leone’s democratic consolidation as opposition parliamentarian”; and his “outstanding work towards the promotion of clean energy and industrialization around the world” in his previous capacities as former Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization and former UN Under-Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and founding CEO of the Vienna-based organization.
“I am most humbled by it, “said Yumkella, who could not physically travel to London to pick up the award. “For almost three decades, I have dedicated my life to serving humanity at the global level, in Sierra Leone and at the local community level.”
“This award inspires me to do more especially in the spheres of the global energy transition, climate change and creating an inclusive and a fairer post-COVID-19 society,” describing what the award meant to him. “I dedicate this award to all those who have helped me along in this journey of service to humanity.”
Considered among the most prestigious and Africa focused awards, organizers maintained that their awards recognize exceptional Africans for their contribution to the growth and development of the continent.
Past recipients include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, H.E. Nkosana Dlamini-Zuma, former chairperson of the African Union, H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania, late Prof. John Atta Mills, former President of Ghana among others whose trailblazing work has had a meaningful impact on the continent.
Mr. Richard Barlay, Jnr and mother, Mrs. Kankay Yumkella – Barlay received the award on behalf of Hon. Dr. Yumkella. (Photo below).
Thank you Alusine Fallay. I don’t think anyone who is sane can disagree with you,that the rate of illiteracy in our dear country, backed by tribalism and regionalism, have blinded nearly all of us to reality. For as long as we’re entrenched in this mode, we’re going no where. On a more personal note, this is why I have fallen out with some family members who seem unable to see that their attitude to politics is what has kept them in perpetual poverty and its attached consequences.
Brother Santhkie Sorie, I’m always looking forward to your contribution on this glorious forum because I personally believe that most of your comments are on point. I have also realized that you are a diehard and loyal fan of Dr. Kandeh Yumkella who I’ve listened to on several occasions,. He “ has a natural air of authority”but unfortunately, the literacy rate in our nation will continue to hinder his chances based on the fact that people continue to vote on tribal and regional affiliation for either the APC or SLPP. I hope and pray that Dr. Kandeh Yumkella will decide to return to the SLPP based on the fact that his late father was one of the original founders.
Alusine Fallay, thank you for letting me know, unambiguously, that you don’t stick to content , text or subject, which makes it impossible to hold a dialogue with you.If you can prove to me that the article is all about Dr Yomkella’s ambition to wrest State House from everybody else, I shall continue with this debate/argument, otherwise I gracefully bow out. And from this experience, I don’t think I shall ever hold a dialogue with you on this platform again. Thank you.
Santhkie Sorie, Here you have it. Kandeh Yumkella hurriedly resigned from the UN as the African Ozone Man hoping to be like late President Tejan Kabba who was chosen by the then SLPP delegates as the flag bearer for the 1996 presidential elections. So you can’t disconnect the UN Yumkella from the Politician Yumkella. Secondly, I’m entitled to choose my responses from an article although I was hoping to read about what his critics will say which is usually common for any achievement from President Bio. I just realized that you are in control of the switch to turn people on and off their opinions.
Your Condescending attitude is rather unfortunate. I repeat just CALM DOWN because on political calendar, 2023 is like a decade away and remember the voters that gave Dr. Kandeh Yumkella 6% also gave President Bio 5 years mandate.
Alusine Fallay, I am as calm as a professional hangman and always ready to defend my position. I stayed on course, but you strayed, your compass malfunctioned and you became excited, completely losing your nerves. Your response clearly holds the key to your panicked assertions,as well as your original contribution. If you hadn’t lost your nerves, you would have kept within the context of the article, which is about the award Dr Yomkella received for his services to humanity. His party’s performance in the 2018 elections was never considered. Why did you bring it in? To me it’s the telltale of somebody that’s in a panic mode like a sentry in a desolate location, who almost loses control of his bowels whenever he imagines a strange noise.
Dr Yomkella has become a source of nervousness and panic for both SLPP and APC. The only reason why the south and south/east are not giving SLPP sleepless nights,as APC is having in the north as of now, is that a good many south easterners are under direct and indirect pressure not to show their preference for NGC; some are even threatened. Let’s don’t forget the young man, an only child, who lost his life in Kenema because he was not supporting SLPP . I felt elated to see that you couldn’t find synonyms for my words and expressions.
Dr Yomkella was not chased out of the UN, he resigned because he wanted to do something for his mother Sierra Leone, and that’s why his name still echoes not only within the walls of the UN but the world over. His next stop is State House to clean up the mess of SLPP and APC. He is a man in politics, not a boy, because he wants to do something for his country. Don’t you see how the boys and girls are being caught in corruption all the time, including Bio and his wife, because they are into politics to do something for themselves? Bio’s predecessor, Earnest Koroma, was the same; the Commission of Inquiry told us that.
Santhkie Sorie, You need to calm down. You just pointed a finger and the remaining four are pointing at you If I can borrow some of your words, – it’s abhorrent, sardonic, demented and unjustifiable for you not to characterise Kandeh Yumkella as a politician who is desperate to occupy State House in 2023.
It also displays a myopic tendency which is so disabling that it can lead to unconscious blindness, whereupon emotions become the yardstick by which everything is measured and analyzed, to imagine that Kandeh Yumkella will increase his 6% votes from 2018 presidential election to 51% in the upcoming 2023 presidential elections.
The only point I’m was trying to make was, your NGC candidate campaigned on change from Alusine and Alhassan to Gbassay. So he needs to be consistent and stay focused. My only advice to him is to return to the United Nations and champion the agenda of Saving our planet.
Congratulations to him again for his award.
It’s abhorrent, sardonic, demented and unjustifiable for anyone to always characterise everything within the confines of politics. It displays a myopic tendency which is so disabling that it can lead to unconscious blindness, whereupon emotions become the yardstick by which everything is measured and analyzed.
An award previously bestowed on such people as Bishop Desmond Tutu, the anti-appathied campaigner in South Africa, who could have lost his life in the process, carries global prestige. Rather than being cowed and subdued by the white minority regime in his country, Archbishop Desmond Tutu used his pulpit to help free the black people of South Africa.
Likewise, rather than rest on his laurels Dr Yomkella is fighting for all the people of Sierra Leone – men, women, children, the old and young , not caring about their tribe or the region they hail from. When he successfully fought for all those in the diaspora to have the constitutional right to run for office in their country of birth, he couldn’t care less what their tribe or region was. The people of Sierra Leone have become conscious of him. For a newly formed party to receive 6 percent of the vote and clinch some seats in parliament is extraordinary. Since then, NGC has been on the match . If the 2023 elections are completely free of violence ,threats and intimidation, NGC will occupy State House. There is now an NGC presence even SLPP strongholds like Kenema.
Congratulations to Dr. Kandeh Yumkella for the Honor that has been bestowed on him. I hope and pray that he will focus on improving his 6% voter base during the 2018 presidential election. He should also resist the brown envelopes of the lifetime leader and chairman of APC party based on the fact that he orchestrated his political demise by the 2 Sim fiasco. Thankfully, through the wisdom of President Talk and Do Bio in appointing Chief Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards, our judiciary exonerated him, and thankfully the MCC scored us highly.
My only advice in Krio is, don’t be an “OGURUKOKORO” YOU DAE YA (SLPP) , YOU DAE YANDA (NGG) and TOMARA YOU DAE SO (COPP AND APC). “ RESPECT PASS BELFULL”.