People's Movement for Democratic Change
Encyclopedia
The People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) is a liberal
party
in Sierra Leone
. It is a breakaway faction of the Sierra Leone People's Party
(SLPP). It was officially registered on 19 January 2006. The party is led by Charles Margai
, the son Sierra leone's second prime minister Sir Albert Margai
and the nephew of ilton Margai|Sir Milton Margai. The PMDC is based in the country second largest city of Bo
.
Margai, as the PMDC's candidate in August 2007 presidential election
, received third place, behind Ernest Bai Koroma
of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) and Solomon Berewa
of the SLPP. On August 19, Margai stated his support for Koroma in the second round of the election. On August 20, the PMDC's Karamoh Kabba explained what he said was the reasoning behind the decision: the PMDC sought to "ensure a more representative government, the survival of the PMDC as a political party and the creation of a third formidable political force for smooth running of democracy in Sierra Leone". Furthermore, backing the APC would help to bridge the regional political divide marking Sierra Leone's politics (the SLPP and PMDC draw their main support from the south, while the APC draws its main support from the north), while backing the SLPP would deepen it. He added that the APC had a natural reason to want the PMDC to survive, while the SLPP had a natural reason to want to destroy it.
Margai's support for the APC provoked controversy in the PMDC, with some feeling that his decision was made without properly consulting the party. Margai said on August 24 that the PMDC would campaign together with the APC for the second round.
At the parliamentary election that was held on the same day as the first round of the 2007 presidential elections, the PMDC became the third largest party in Parliament with 10 seats (out of 112). In the 2008 Local Government elections, the PMDC did less well, winning only one Council Chairperson seat (out of 19), and 4% of the council seats. All seats won by the party was in the Southern region, specifically in the Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba and Pujehun districts.
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. It is a breakaway faction of the Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with the All People's Congress .-Formation:...
(SLPP). It was officially registered on 19 January 2006. The party is led by Charles Margai
Charles Margai
Charles Francis Kondo Margai is a Sierra Leonean lawyer and politician. He is the leader of the People's Movement for Democratic Change the third major political party in Sierra Leone, after the big two, the Sierra Leone People's Party and the All People's Congress . He was his party's candidate...
, the son Sierra leone's second prime minister Sir Albert Margai
Albert Margai
Sir Albert Michael Margai was the second prime minister of Sierra Leone and the half-brother of Sir Milton Margai, the country's first Prime Minister...
and the nephew of ilton Margai|Sir Milton Margai. The PMDC is based in the country second largest city of Bo
Bo, Sierra Leone
Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Southern Province. It lies about 164 miles south-east of Freetown and had a population 149,957 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate is 231,494 . The city serve as the capital and administrative center of Bo District...
.
Margai, as the PMDC's candidate in August 2007 presidential election
Sierra Leonean general election, 2007
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Sierra Leone on 11 August 2007. Seven candidates competed in the first round of the presidential election; no candidate received the necessary 55% of the vote to win in the first round, and a second round was held between the top two candidates,...
, received third place, behind Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma is the fourth and current President of Sierra Leone. He was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007 at the State House in the capital Freetown, shortly after being declared the winner of a tense run-off in the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential election with 54.6% of the vote over...
of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) and Solomon Berewa
Solomon Berewa
Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa was Vice-President of Sierra Leone from May 2002 to September 2007...
of the SLPP. On August 19, Margai stated his support for Koroma in the second round of the election. On August 20, the PMDC's Karamoh Kabba explained what he said was the reasoning behind the decision: the PMDC sought to "ensure a more representative government, the survival of the PMDC as a political party and the creation of a third formidable political force for smooth running of democracy in Sierra Leone". Furthermore, backing the APC would help to bridge the regional political divide marking Sierra Leone's politics (the SLPP and PMDC draw their main support from the south, while the APC draws its main support from the north), while backing the SLPP would deepen it. He added that the APC had a natural reason to want the PMDC to survive, while the SLPP had a natural reason to want to destroy it.
Margai's support for the APC provoked controversy in the PMDC, with some feeling that his decision was made without properly consulting the party. Margai said on August 24 that the PMDC would campaign together with the APC for the second round.
At the parliamentary election that was held on the same day as the first round of the 2007 presidential elections, the PMDC became the third largest party in Parliament with 10 seats (out of 112). In the 2008 Local Government elections, the PMDC did less well, winning only one Council Chairperson seat (out of 19), and 4% of the council seats. All seats won by the party was in the Southern region, specifically in the Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba and Pujehun districts.