Chief Imam clarifies voting on religious line

The head of the Muslim Congress in Liberia Imam Ali Krayee has clarified that he has in no way called on Muslims not to vote for Christians that are aspiring for elected offices in the pending October elections.

He told UNMIL Radio on Wednesday, 12 July that Muslims must however prioritize Islam in whatever they do, including the upcoming elections. The Liberian Chief Imam clarifies that he is not telling his people to stay back in the elections process on grounds of having no Muslim candidate in the race. Instead, he says “it would be ridiculous and unpatriotic to make statement of such.

“We are not ignorant to make our people to stay back from the elections, we just want them to prioritize Islam”, he says, and notes that Liberia is at the cross road and “we” have reached a point where those who are voting in the various communities should vote wisely.

“I told the people of Grand Cape Mount County at the end of Ramadan that they should vote for someone that they [are] sure will stand by them and also someone that will protect the rights of Muslims against proposition 21 that calls for Liberia to be a Christian Nation”, he adds.

Chief Imam Krayee contends that Liberia is for everyone and not for a particular group of people. “In this election, Islam should be their priority, I told the people of Cape Mount to stand up for Islam, Grand Cape Mount is the back bone of Islam in Liberia and whatever they do, even in the elections, they should make Islam their priority”, he concludes.
 By Ethel A. Tweh–Edited by Winston W. Parley