History of the UNPP

Let "Di Lamp" guide us out of the Darkness to a bright new future for all Sierra Leoneans

The History of the United National People's Party

Background information on John Karefa Smart..

Education
Karefa-Smart received his B.A. from Fourah Bay College in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1936. Four years later in 1940, he received his B.S. from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio in 1940. From Otterbein, he went to McGill University in Montreal, where he received his M.D. and C.M. in 1944 and Diploma in Tropical Medicine in 1945. Finally, in 1948, he received his M.P.H. from Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. Karefa-Smart has also been a fellow or professor at many colleges and universities across the world, including Bunumbu Union Teachers Training College in Sierra Leone (1936-38), University of Ibadan in Nigeria (1949-52), and several American universities such as Xavier University of Louisiana (1953), Columbia University (1964-65), Harvard University (1971-81), Boston University(1972-77), Wellesley College (1974), and Howard University (1980-83).

Political career
Karefa-Smart has had an active political career both in Sierra Leone and abroad for many years, beginning with his election to parliament in 1957. From 1957 to 1964, Karefa-Smart was a Member of Parliament for Tonkolili District. He also served as Minister of Lands, Mines, & Labor; Defense; and External Affairs. During that time period, he also served occasionally as Acting Prime Minister. From 1965 until 1970, he was Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1996, he returned to Sierra Leonean politics as a member of parliament and presidential candidate. Karefa-Smart lost the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections to current President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

The future of the UNPP

PROFESSOR ABDUL KADY KARIM, CPA

Personal profile:

A citizen of Sierra Leone, Professor Abdul Kady Karim, CPA is married and has four sons and two daughters. The first three of his children, Alhassan, Fatmata and Idrissa reside in Sierra Leone and the last three, Haja, Ibrahim and Abdul Jr. are residents of the United States of America. Alhassan, Haja, Ibrahim and Abdul Jr. graduated from Fourah Bay College in Freetown - Sierra Leone, University of Maryland Eastern Shore - Maryland, USA, Widener University - Pennsylvania, USA and Wesley College - Delaware, USA respectively. Idrissa is working to become a Chartered Accountant and Fatmata is a Sierra Leonean businesswoman. His wife, Haja Adiatu Sahid-Karim is a graduate from Strayer University - Maryland, USA with a Masters in Public Administration and is currently employed by the US State Department - VOA African Division. Professor Karim's professional career has included a position as a controller

Home

for a multimillion dollar retail company and academic appointments at Bowie State University in Maryland, USA, Southeastern University in Washington DC, USA and Strayer University in Maryland, USA. He also owns and operates an accounting firm in Washington DC. Professor Karim also has worked as a chiefdom administrative court clerk in Kambia District, in Sierra Leone from 1969 through 1974.

EDUCATION:

BSC - Accounting (George Washington University) Washington DC - 1978
MSC - Financial Management (George Washington University) Washington DC - 1981
CPA - Certified Public Accountant (DCICPA) Washington DC - 1984

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

Adjunct Professor - Bowie State University (USA) School of Business and Accounting
1987 - 1988 taught accounting courses.
Adjunct Professor - Southeastern University (USA) School of Business and Accounting
1992 - 2001 taught accounting and business courses
Professor - Strayer University (USA) School of Business and Accounting
1993 - Present taught accounting and business courses
Associate Dean of Accounting and Business - Strayer University (USA)
2005 - Present

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Fellowship - District of Columbia Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Member - American Institute of Certified Public Accountant
Member - Institute of Internal Auditors
Member - Institute of Management Accountants

Vote for Professor Abdul Karim for President of Sierra Leone in the elections of 2007..

The UNPP came to life in 1996 with John Karefa Smart as leader and Presidential candidate in the 1996 elections. After securing a place in the run-off election, John Karefa Smart lost in the controversial run-off election to Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (SLPP) amid rumors of fraudulent vote counting. Despite the controversy of the election, John Karefa Smart placed the interests of his country before his own political ambitions and stepped aside in an effort to avoid civil war... John has dedicated his life to serving his country and should be considered a patriot by all Sierra Leoneans..