Liberia Democracy: The Promise Never Kept
By: Jefferson G. Togba |
Liberians have always been lied to and fooled since its inception in 1847 by politicians and its founding organization-the American colonization Society (ACS) in 1817 to send free African-Americans to Africa as an alternative for emancipation in the United States.
In 1822, the society established on the west coast of Africa alongside the ABORIGINES while freed slaves and masters imposed themselves as leaders.
The “freed slaves” were never involved with their repatriation to Africa neither who and how they were governed. Today,that same ideological styles of governance continue to survive the body politics of Liberia.
Candidates associate and identified with voters when vote becomes the “common interest” for obtaining state power. The voters are quickly forgotten by the formers beggars while power givers remain in abject poverty and constant beggars.
Liberia democracy is best practiced when politicians literally begged electorate on their knees for vote. But after formally being agreed through a ballot and voiced commitment by voting them IN then the people are left on their own.
Do you know decided and silent voters keep their promises by electing their choice. While on the other hand, politicians usually don’t fulfill even fifty percent of what they promised and campaigned upon.
After they have obtained the Citizens choice by vote. They neglect them. Sometimes they called them noisy minority. Forget to know even the famous and populous majority do complain and become critics of their own efforts and makings.
Majority too suffer economic hardship and bad governance like the minority. Who told politicians that majority don’t complain? Infact, majority complained the most because they least expect their decision to be misused with unimaginable worse results than previous regimes initially criticized.
People think electing government officials is all about trying another group of people since the first failed to deliver on their promises.
THE Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) somersaults from lead opposition to ruling administration in 2017. CDCIANS have forgotten everything the party once stood for “for goodness sake “.
It puzzles many Liberian to grasp with the slogans “Hope for Change ” and “The country Giant” that brought the CDC to power few years ago.
The CDC led government has for the most part in nearly three years continue to circumvent the law to largely benefit the elite 1% cdcians over its “Blue wave marchers and grass-roots partisans “.
The government is worse. The CDC-Weah led regime canceling nearly ALL tenure positions to accommodate cheer members.
Furthermore, two of CDC lawmakers ,Hon. Moses Acarous Gray and Hon. Thomas P. Fallah sponsored a corrupt bill in parliament and illegally impeached an Associate Justice Kabineh Muhammad Ja’neh without Prescribed procedures as stipulated in the 1986 Liberian Constitution.
Subsequently, Liberia permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization Atty Isaac W.Jackson,Jr was unjustifiable removed from office and suspended then he has been stopped from practicing his career as a lawyer for one year by CDC led supreme court members.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) too has been fully occupied with partisans commissioners which the CDC once aggressively spoke against. For instance, the appointment of former NEC Chairman Cllr. Jerome Korkoya was vehemently protested by then opposition CDC for allegedly been Unity Party partisan.
To the extent where Cllr. Jarome Korkoya Liberian citizenship was questioned. Those same vices are overly practiced by the Weah led government.
Many stakeholders,opposition politicians,Civil society organizations, human rights groups have raised deep concerns. Even the Liberian National Bar Association complaint the government of being in flagrant violation of the rule of law. Yet no change.
“Therefore, in an effort to readjust the administrative structure of the Liberia Maritime Authority to effectively and efficiently manage the affairs of the Authority. This bill amends the statutory provisions relating to the appointment and tenure of the Commissioners and Commissioners of the Liberia Maritime Authority.” according president Weah communication to the national legislature to justified his government modus operandi
But how do tenure positions contribute to any governmental functionality as being ineffective and poorly inefficient ?
In an effort for president Weah to micromanage and influence tenure positions workings; in 2018 the executive submitted a bill titled “An Act Prohibiting the Tenure of Public Officials within the Executive Branch of Government” .
One would wonder why the president in so much hurry to undo tenure positions instead of focusing on real policies to grow the economy, raise better health ,increase quality education among others social economic benefits.
Rep Fallah, our Mothers, sisters and youths are not dignify when you distribute campaigne materials. How can sharing lappa means dignifying women in Liberia,Hon.Fallah? When your policy do not include them neither consider their well-being.
Dignify their lives when laws protect and defend them from been RAPED. Stand up for them against all forms of domestic violence. When they have access to safe delivery facilities and better health. They want greater opportunities to earn and live it for themselves.
Promulgate solutions to economically transform their living standards. Do not wait for Elections. They have lives beyond Elections.
Giving them campaign clothes don’t mean dignity. Don’t use electorate limitations to disgrace them. They deserve more than campaign materials. Those materials are in your interest and don’t change anything about their future.
Why are cdcian so clueless of the realities in Liberia. President Weah reduced salary for non-partisan then employed cdcian with no qualifications with better paying job
The president was against the employment of former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s qualified sons unlike most of his bosom buddy.
Mr.President see the economic hardship faced in Liberia. Your leadership is for all Liberian irrespective of been CDCIANS. It is very clear that the whole nation can’t vote for you but you’re president for Liberia. Where is the “Hope for Change”slogan? Are you no more “Country Giant” for the people but selected few? Rethink, act and do it well! Don’t wait on 2023. Mr. President the time is now.
About The Author:
Jefferson G. Togba is a Former lecturer at the United Methodist University; he holds Master of Arts degree in Diplomacy, Law & Business.
He also read extensively on international Affairs with emphasis on International Political Economy at the Jindal School of international Affairs at the O.P. Jindal Global University in India. He also served as conference panelist during the India-Africa Corporation held in New Delhi in 2014; and he graduated with bachelor degree in Business Administration at the AME Zion University, Liberia
Comments are closed.