…Citizens Question Disappearance of Public Transport Fleet in Montserrado
By Amos Harris
Monrovia, Montserrado – A wave of concern and frustration is sweeping across Montserrado County following the sudden disappearance of public transport buses introduced by Senator Saah H. Joseph during his campaign. Once hailed as a citizen-driven initiative to ease the severe transportation burden in Monrovia and its environs, the buses have mysteriously vanished, sparking a public outcry.
During his political campaign and early senatorial term, Senator Joseph garnered significant popular support by deploying a fleet of blue buses across various Montserrado communities. These buses offered low-cost transportation to thousands of residents, particularly students, market women, and low-income workers—groups most affected by Liberia’s chronic public transportation crisis.
Many viewed the initiative as a meaningful act of public service. However, residents from neighborhoods like Paynesville, Gardnersville, Duala, Red Light, Sinkor, and Brewerville are now asking a unified question: “Where are the buses now?”
“When Senator Saah Joseph was campaigning, those buses were everywhere,” lamented Martha Kollie, a market woman in Paynesville. “They helped us get to work and our children get to school, but since the elections ended, not even one bus is on the road. It’s like he took them back after we voted.”
The disappearance of the buses has left a noticeable void. Daily commuters now grapple with increased transportation fares, overcrowded kehkehs (motorized tricycles), and long wait times under the scorching sun. Parents report having to give their children double money for both lunch and transportation, while students from the University of Liberia and African Methodist Episcopal University decry the mounting financial strain.
“Those buses were a big help,” noted Samuel Kpadeh, a senior Political Science student. “They made school life easier. Now, we feel abandoned.”
Residents and transportation workers say the removal of the buses has forced a return to chaotic and exploitative private transport conditions. The cost of commuting has reportedly risen by more than 30% in some areas, according to informal assessments by commuters.
Further fueling public suspicion are reports that some of the formerly public buses are now being used by ArcelorMittal Liberia, a multinational steel and mining company operating in Grand Bassa and Nimba Counties. Several transport workers and Monrovia residents allege that buses previously used for daily commuting are now seen repainted and assigned to company logistics and staff transport.
“I recognized one of the buses at the port. The color was changed, but the structure and plate gave it away,” claimed a conductor who requested anonymity. “We’re being told they are now rented to NGOs and private companies. But who is benefiting from that deal?”
To date, neither Senator Saah Joseph nor ArcelorMittal Liberia has issued a formal statement confirming or denying the alleged arrangement. Attempts to contact the Senator’s office via calls and emails have gone unanswered. However, an aide, speaking off the record, acknowledged that “some of the buses are being used in coordination with private partners” but declined to elaborate. When asked if any revenue from such usage was being reinvested in public services in Montserrado, the aide vaguely replied, “We will issue a statement in due course.”
The Montserrado County Transport Workers Union has joined the chorus demanding clarity. “We supported the initiative because it brought dignity to our profession and relief to the people,” said John B. Yormie, a senior official in the union. “But now we’re left wondering if the whole thing was a campaign gimmick. If money is being made off those buses, it should go back to benefit the people, not individuals.”
“The public was mobilized to believe this was for them,” stated Sarah Mulbah, a representative from the Center for Democratic Access (CDA). “Now, the same public deserves to know whether those buses are serving the people or serving private interest.”
Senator Saah Joseph, a member of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), built his political reputation on a strong humanitarian legacy, most notably during Liberia’s Ebola crisis when he organized ambulance services that helped save lives. His transport initiative was seen as a natural extension of that service-oriented philosophy.
However, political observers warn that credibility is now at risk. “You can’t initiate a program in the public eye, gain votes from it, then withdraw it without explanation,” said Dr. Alaric Gaye, a political analyst and professor at the University of Liberia. “This isn’t just about transport. It’s about trust and governance.”
Liberia’s public transportation system remains fragmented and largely unregulated. The lack of a centralized authority has left most of the population at the mercy of private drivers and exploitative price fluctuations. In this context, the buses introduced by Senator Joseph were not only welcomed; they were essential.
“We cannot depend on individual politicians to solve national problems,” argued transportation economist Bility Kromah. “What we need is a government-led mass transit plan—buses, trams, maybe even light rail. This shouldn’t be seasonal or political.”
According to Kromah, the issue should prompt a larger conversation about transport reform, national infrastructure planning, and the role of elected officials in sustainable service delivery. “If public services come and go with elections, the people will never experience continuity or development,” he said.
For many citizens, the missing buses symbolize deeper issues: broken promises, lack of accountability, and the widening gap between political rhetoric and real-life challenges. In communities across Montserrado, the sentiment is clear: restore the buses or explain their absence.
“This is about survival,” said a cleaner working in central Monrovia. “Every day, I’m late to work and still poor; those buses helped. Now they’re gone, and no one will talk.”
As Montserrado residents continue to demand answers, the story of Senator Saah Joseph’s campaign buses has become a litmus test for public trust and political accountability in post-election Liberia. Until an official statement is made or the buses return to service, one question remains on the lips of many frustrated Liberians.
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