President Kabbah Goes To Malaysia For World Islamic Summit

13th October 2003-The President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, left Freetown Monday night, 13 October, to participate in the Summit of Heads of State of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), taking place in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Shortly after President Kabbah's departure, Speaker of Parliament, Honourable Justice Edmond Kadoni Cowan, was sworn in to act as President by The Honourable Chief Justice, Dr. Abdulai Timbo.

In a short but impressive ceremony at the Lungi International Airport, the Acting President took the Oath of Office and pledged to serve according to law and to uphold and maintain the Constitution as by law established.

According to Sierra Leone's Constitution where the President and the Vice President are together absent or are not able to function as provided for by the Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament shall act as President until either the President or Vice President returns to the country.

In a brief statement after he had been sworn to act as President, His Excellency the Acting President, Honourable Justice Edmond K. Cowan, thanked President Kabbah for the confidence he had reposed in him and asked Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, government functionaries and the people of Sierra Leone to give him their fullest support.

Earlier on the same day, Monday 13 October, Vice President, Honourable Solomon E. Berewa, left Freetown for The Vatican City in Rome where he will be taking part in religious observances marking the 25th Anniversary of Pope John Paul 11's ascendancy to the Papacy, the Beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta as "Blessed" and celebration of World Mission Sunday on Sunday 19th October.

Monday 13th October had been declared National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving by President Kabbah in consultation with the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone. Setting aside a day of Prayer and Thanksgiving was one of the recommendations of the Chaytor Committee that had been appointed by Government to review previous decisions concerning confiscated properties from 1968 to 1993. Observance of these National Prayers and Thanksgiving commenced on Friday 10th October with Friday Prayers in Mosques. On Sunday 12th October Christian prayers were said in Churches. Those two days of prayers (Friday and Sunday) were climaxed by prayers on Monday, 13th October in Churches and Mosques throughout the country.

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