Sierra Leone opposition threaten protests over VP sacking

Freetown (AFP) - Sierra Leone's opposition on Monday threatened to throw the country into disarray as it called for strikes, protests and the president's dismissal over last week's sacking of vice president Samuel Sam-Sumana.

It branded President Ernest Bai Koroma's appointment of Victor Bockarie Foh as new vice president unconstitutional, vowing not to cooperate with him.

Koroma axed Sam-Sumana on Tuesday, almost two weeks after he was expelled from the ruling All People's Congress (APC).

The main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) vowed to "engage in political actions including but not limited to peaceful demonstrations, strikes and other civil disobedience actions across the country and in the diaspora effective after seven days".

The SLPP said it has asked its 42 parliamentarians "to work towards the possibility of commencing impeachment against the president of Sierra Leone for the violation of the 1991 constitution".

The SLPP also said its lawyers would file a case before the Supreme Court.

However, with 70 MPs of a total of 125, the governing APC has a clear majority in Sierra Leone's parliament.

Sam-Sumana's lawyers on Monday said they have filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court, contesting his dismissal.

The former vice-president was accused of fomenting violence in his home district of Kono, deceit, fraud and threatening key party officials. He denied all charges and fled into hiding, seeking asylum in the United States after claiming he was in danger.

Sam-Sumana's sacking has been seen as a part of a wider crackdown on "anti-party activities" which saw expulsions, reprimands and fines for several other APC members.

The police on Monday responded to the opposition's calls with a strong warning against protests.

"Some organisations are inciting members of the public to come out in large numbers to take the law into their own hands," the police said in a statement, warning that any protests could "cause chaos".

Any meetings "of two or more persons" must be authorised by police, it said.

Even Ebola-related meetings must have permission from the police and the National Ebola Response Committee, it added.

The worst-ever outbreak of the virus has claimed almost 3,700 lives in Sierra Leone, one of three impoverished west African nations that have seen their economies and healthcare systems wrecked by the crisis.