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In post-election Sierra Leone, the ruling All People's Congress and the opposition parties—the Sierra Leone People's Party and the People's Movement for Democratic Change—have all put their shoulder on the wheel of governance in a way that is wholly contrary to that of post-election Kenya.

Unlike in the East African country, where over 500 people have died in the post-election conflict, this small West African nation has enjoyed a litany of praise from democracy-loving nations and international organizations for conducting free and fair elections in 2007. Indeed, it is safe to state that Sierra Leoneans have taken a bold step in redeeming themselves from their war-scarred past. This has undoubtedly padded the crutches upon which the nation has been strolling with the help of donor nations and international organizations since the end of hostilities.

But in assessing the people's determination to extract themselves from the deepest poverty, desolation, and corruption entrenched by many years of one-party government rule, autocracy, and the wars of the past decade, one needs firsthand observation of the present situation on the ground.

I have been away so long that I may not be any different from the foreign pundits and journalists who come here for 10-days at a stretch mostly in search of sensational stories. But I am a Sierra Leonean and I have seen enough reason in the three peaceful postwar elections to return recently to where I spent the first 27 years of my life and tough it out.

From Lungi airport, I ran into a thanksgiving parade of schoolchildren on the fathomless and unattractive red dusty road, pockmarked with potholes, that leads into the capital of Freetown. But for the courage of the people here, this inauspicious entry does not make a good impression on tourists and investors bound for the country. When asked, one of the students, in unconditional terms answered, "There is much to be thankful for."

As I would learn later, with the return of electricity after more than 10 years of darkness, the price for ice water has been slashed by 50 percent and the price for ice cubes has plunged to 100 leones from 500 leones.

At Latihide, in one of two female dormitories at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, I met a student—who only wants to be called Lucy—with an unbelievable hope in this nation and its new leadership. "Once there is energy to turn the wheels of production the prices for essential commodities will plunge. At least we get occasional light now," Lucy said.

I took Lucy's statement, "The prices for essential commodities will plunge," to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which regulates the prices of essential commodities that my student host at the University of Sierra Leone was probably unaware of. Deputy Minister Mabinty Daramy (photo) was quite generous with information.

"We are experiencing a global food shortage," she said. "The benchmark for rice in the world market, in December, jumped to all-times high. Wheat on the other hand suffers from poor harvest this year in the world. Even Pakistan, a huge wheat producing country, is now importing wheat because of low production and over export. Emerging economies, such as Ghana's and China's increasing demand for wheat compounded by poor harvest, have put a heavy burden on producers."

"This is a recent picture of an armed Pakistani military officer on guard to protect the exportation of wheat," Daramy said, reaching under her desk for a picture she had printed and blown up to show cynics who posit that the rising price of grains is due to government inefficiency. "It is also unfortunate that we import most of our wheat supply from Pakistan," she added

"We will also brainstorm with the importers and petty traders on how to salvage this global food shortage trend while government embarks on other short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans for sustainable food import and production in Sierra Leone. There is a grand plan underway at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for sustainable food production," Daramy said.

My personal observation is that the past government seemed to have been more focused on grand policymaking than on paying attention to the everyday little things that could have improved the living and health conditions of the people. Not a single landmark has been saved from the activities of petty traders and the filth they create here in Freetown. Victoria Park, which was once for recreational purposes only, has been taken over by petty traders and been completely littered.

Twenty minutes after I went away to see Sylvia Blyden of the Awareness Times newspaper, I returned to where I had parked the Mercedes-Benz truck a friend had lent me only to find that a youth named Tony had spread his wares for sale on the front end.

A simple city ordinance for health standards for petty food traders does not seem to exist or at least does not seem to be enforced. Scrap metal and abandoned or disabled vehicles—a possible source of revenue for a city government with a well-operated impoundment lot—contribute to the heavy traffic jams here at rush hours. The many years of filth build-up in government offices is an eyesore as well.

By my estimation, three large central marketplaces complete with toilet facilities, playgrounds, parks, and a trash collection mechanism would not only improve health conditions but also help the city collect revenue from the activities of petty traders plying their trade in centralized locations. They would also provide fun places for Freetown residents to shop.