Hon Paran Tarawally Clarifies SLPP Position On Chairman’s Statement
Honourable Umar Paran Tarawally, National Secretary General of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and former Clerk of Parliament, has sought to clarify the party’s position following controversial remarks attributed to the party’s chairman, Jimmy Batilo Songa
Tarawally said the chairman’s comments suggesting that party officials would take orders only from the party leadership should not automatically be interpreted as an official position of the SLPP or as a directive from President Julius Maada Bio.
Speaking during an interview, Tarawally acknowledged that the chairman is the duly elected leader of the party and therefore his public statements carry considerable political weight. However, he drew a distinction between the chairman speaking in his individual capacity and an officially adopted position of the party.
According to Tarawally, he had listened to the chairman’s statement several times but did not hear him directly attribute the controversial instruction to President Bio.
“I have listened to it over and over again, and I have not heard him quote President Bio directly,” Tarawally explained, stressing that the chairman was therefore speaking on his own accord.
The clarification comes amid growing public interest in the internal structure of political parties and the extent to which party officials, parliamentarians and elected representatives are expected to follow directives from their political leadership.
Tarawally rejected the suggestion that the SLPP had formally adopted the chairman’s position. He said that while the chairman remains an important authority within the party, the SLPP had not taken an official position endorsing the statement.
“I will not say we are distancing ourselves because the party has not taken an official position,” he said.
His comments appear designed to separate the personal or political expression of the chairman from an official instruction issued by the party or the presidency.
The Secretary General further indicated that some SLPP supporters may have interpreted the chairman’s remarks out of context. He acknowledged the seriousness of the comments, but maintained that the absence of a direct reference to President Bio was significant.
The controversy also raises broader questions about the relationship between party leadership and elected representatives in Sierra Leone. In a democratic political system, party discipline can be an important mechanism for maintaining unity and advancing a party’s programme. However, questions arise when political directives are perceived as conflicting with the independent responsibilities of elected officials, particularly Members of Parliament.
As a former Clerk of Parliament, Tarawally’s intervention carries additional significance because of his familiarity with parliamentary procedures and the constitutional responsibilities of lawmakers. His clarification suggests that party loyalty should not automatically be equated with an instruction personally issued by the President.
When asked whether he regretted that the chairman had made the statement, Tarawally responded that the chairman himself should take responsibility for his words.
“He should be regretting and not me,” he said.
Pressed further on whether he was disappointed with the chairman, Tarawally maintained that the chairman may have had reasons for making the statement.
“He said probably because he knew why he was saying that,” Tarawally stated.
However, the most significant part of Tarawally’s response was his categorical assurance concerning President Bio. He said that, based on his position as Secretary General, he was aware that the SLPP had not adopted the chairman’s statement as party policy.
He also sought to reassure the public that President Bio would not communicate such an instruction through an unofficial channel.
“As Secretary General, I know we have not taken a position as a party, and I will definitely let Sierra Leoneans know that President Bio will never communicate such a message to anybody,” Tarawally said.
The statement effectively places the responsibility for the controversial remarks on the chairman rather than the President, while leaving open the question of whether the SLPP leadership will subsequently issue a formal clarification.
The episode highlights the delicate balance between political party discipline and institutional independence. For the ruling party, maintaining internal cohesion is important, but so too is ensuring that statements by individual officials are not automatically understood by the public as directives from the President or formal government policy.
Tarawally’s intervention therefore appears to be an attempt to draw a clear line between what the SLPP has officially decided, what its chairman has publicly said, and what President Bio has personally communicated.
For Sierra Leoneans, the distinction is important. A statement made by a senior party official can have significant political consequences, particularly when the party is in government. Clear communication from the party leadership is therefore essential to prevent individual remarks from being mistaken for official presidential or government directives.
