After holding a meeting with stakeholders of the Sababu project, President Koroma and entourage departed State House and arrived in Kenema late evening to a rousing welcome from patiently-waiting, cheering crowds.

By 10 am, the Kenema town field was filled beyond capacity with cheerful, merry-making multitudes. The President thanked the people of Kenema for the wonderful reception, and for participating in the electoral process that brought him and his party to power: "Some voted for me, some did not; but what is important is that you all participated in the process, and I want to thank you all for that." He said the elections were free, fair and peaceful, which has brought Sierra Leone back to the international arena of civilized nations.

The President assured the Kenema people of his government’s utmost protection at all times, stating that they have nothing to fear under his administration. The President said during the elections naturally there was some acrimony, but he said we should put that behind us and move the country forward: "What is important is for us all to work together in the interest of our country." He said he has extended the olive branch to many former opponents including a delegation from the Kailahun Court Barry, which he assisted in promoting its activities.

President Koroma said there are many challenges ahead: " It will not be easy, but we all have to be committed, we all have to be sincere, and we all have to work together as Sierra Leoneans, irrespective of where you come from or what tribe you belong to."

He outlined his government’s activities thus far, with priority on the energy sector. He said his target is for the whole country to enjoy the supply of electricity. "By God’s grace, we will finish Bumbuna soon and embark on other electrification projects". The President revealed that there’s going to be some improvement on the Dodo hydro project in terms of increasing its mega watts so that many other south-eastern residents would enjoy electricity services, stating that government is now at an advance stage of negotiating with the Chinese.

On agriculture, President Koroma said, "we will not succeed in poverty reduction if we don’t change the circumstances of the farmers." He said his intention on agricultural productivity is not only to feed ourselves but to export rice and other produce, so that the farmers will have more money, there will be a creation of job opportunities, and more foreign exchange earnings for the country.

The President used the occasion to challenge critics who have been lashing at his government for the rise in the prices of especially rice and fuel: "It is not good to politicize this issue. This is an international crisis." He explained that there has been food shortage in the rice-producing regions which has led to some banning the export of rice. He said he’s despatched his Minister of Trade abroad to appeal to some countries to assist Sierra Leone. Yet, the President said, Sierra Leone still has the cheapest rice in the sub-region: "It is dishonest for them (critics) to misrepresent the facts. Thank God you know the facts." He said even the UN Secretary General has appealed for more support to the FAO so as to avert an imminent food crisis that could cause social unrest in many countries. The President said though the rice issue is not unique to Sierra Leone, "we as a government have taken the challenge". He said they are getting a lot of support from the rice importers, which has made the rice price not to be higher than it is at the moment. "As a government, we have the capacity, we have the ability to do what we say, and in the next two to three years, before the end of my first term, we would have changed the face of this country". The President revealed that government is going to create a produce development agency that would address the issues of farming and strengthen the activities of production. He said many produce leave our shores in their raw form; we therefore need to move towards processing our products in-country.

The President however said agriculture would not practically develop without good road infrastructure. He said the Masiaka-Bo-Kenema road construction would soon be completed, and would go on to Koindu in Kailahun. He said the estimated cost is $110m and that government has so far secured $30m. "Before the end of the year, I am committed to getting the road to Kailahun through so that I’ll not find any difficulty again in visiting the Kailahun Court Barry," the President said to a tumultuous laughter from the crowds.

Speaking on education, the President said an uneducated nation cannot do anything. Because of the significance he attaches to education, the President revealed that he was late in arriving to Kenema because he had to summon all the stakeholders of the Sababu education project to State House to tell them to provide the services they are required to. "Not even 30% of the targets have been met. Any one found wanting must have to find a way of paying back. In this, there’s no compromise". The President also spoke of the lamentable situation of the Ministry of Health, where drugs meant for the poor are not delivered: "If you stoned me during the elections, that’s forgiven, that’s finished; but if you’ve eaten the poor people’s money, that is not finished yet." The President said this is why he is preaching a change of attitudes; and by doing so stop depending on donors and stop running a cash-budget in a country where there’s everything. "I’ll spend my life fighting for things to go right in this country," he said to a resounding applause. He lauded the efforts of the Anti Corruption Commission in arresting suspects at Custom and Immigration as an example of how some people would have to be forced to change their attitude.

He spoke to the people of Kono in particular about the report of the Jenkins-Johnston Commission, to which government will soon give a white paper. "We have taken action in the interest of the country. No company can intimidate us, no company can threaten us. We will review all mining arrangements and Sierra Leone will benefit from it this time around," he said, stating Botswana as a country that has benefited from its diamonds.

Speaking on the Yenga issue, President Koroma said, "We’ll not sleep until every inch of Sierra Leonean land is occupied and ruled by Sierra Leoneans". He said the first step is a diplomatic solution, as the matter has been taken to MRU level, while revealing that he would be happy to continue to have fruitful and strengthened relations with Guinea for having been handy neighbours during Sierra Leone’s crisis.

The President called on the chiefs and everybody to put the past behind and join hands together as Sierra Leoneans to rebuild the nation.

In the afternoon, the President paid a visit to the central mosque.

Later in the day, the President formally commissioned the official opening of the Kenema Clock Tower which has been completed with three brand new clocks by the Gola Forest Programme through the efforts of its Director, David Zeller. The President appealed to other institutions/organizations to emulate the Gola Forest Programme in showing "corporate social responsibility to the communities in which they operate". He said government is on the verge of declaring the Gola forest a national park, which would bring a lot of benefits into the country: "Tourists will not come empty-handed, and the whole issue of preserving the environment will make climate change not to affect us adversely".

Late afternoon, the President laid the foundation stone for the building of a health centre at the Kenema Police Barracks. Before donating ten million leones to the project, the President thanked the local Policing Partnership Board and all the Kenema police, including late LUC VAL Bangura, who played a major role in seeing the idea implemented. The President said the action is a step in the right direction of attitudinal change in the Health ministry, evens as he lamented the poor state of affairs in the ministry, which has been one of the indicators to put Sierra Leone at the bottom of the UN Human Development Index. "When I start something, I’ll monitor it to see it to the end. I’ll make sure I come back to officially open this health centre," he declared.

The day ended with a dinner hosted in honour of the President at the Holy Trinity Church hall.

SATURDAY 5^TH APRIL

President Koroma, as Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone, conferred degrees and awarded diplomas and certificates to deserving graduates of the Eastern Polytechnic. Speaking at the occasion, the President thanked the leadership and students of the college for inviting him. He said the institution and its likes in the country are playing the crucial role of training young men and women to meet the middle level resource needed to facilitate the development of post-war Sierra Leone, with a view to raising the country up the higher rungs of the human development index.

The President craved the indulgence of everyone to allow him speak on the theme, "The dignity of the human being". He said, as a post-war country, Sierra Leone suffers from a variety of ills, including corruption, lethargy and the ‘pull him or her down’ syndrome. The President said the solution to this is a change of attitudes, to change from the old habits to new ways, one of which "is to learn to hold your tongue if there’s nothing good to talk about somebody". He said human beings are not animals. "I believe strongly in attitudinal change. I believe human beings have the capacity to change. We are not lower animals, then why should we subject ourselves to undignified behaviour? I urge you, and I beg you to be dignified at all times. Don’t receive wages for work not done or done improperly," he appealed. The President intimated that his government is very much committed to providing job opportunities to everyone, but he challenged students to maintain their dignity even if not employed immediately after graduation: "Not being employed is a challenge to your ingenuity and innovativeness. You can create jobs for yourselves and help boost the private sector." The President wished the best for all students, urging them to "celebrate merrily tonight for you have done us proud, but please do so with caution for your safety and the safety of others. May God bless us all." The occasion ended with a reception at the institution’s Ahmad Tejan Kabbah Hall.

Late afternoon, the President joined throngs of dancers and merry-makers at the Kenema town field in cultural celebrations.