Editorial – Making Liberia A True Democracy Through Unity

Liberians will by October or November, gather at various polling stations around the country for the purpose of casting their ballots for presidential and legislative candidates of their choice. In the entire process, incumbent and opposition politicians continue to perceive each other as bitter rivals. Order than placing Liberia ahead of their various campaign activities because it is this nation that they would be governing if they succeeded, personal interests have taken center stage.

The recent boycott of the Independence celebrations in Lofa County  by our opposition brothers and sisters is indicative of the hatred we harbor against each whenever we are outside of government. Most of our opposition brothers and sisters aspiring for political offices were either heard or quoted as attributing their decisions to stay away from the July 26 Lofa events to the use of the celebrations by the Unity Party for campaigning.

While we do share this concern of our brothers and sisters, we do also think they did not only do injustice to themselves, but a complete disservice to the very nation and people over whom they anticipate exercising governance.

While the Lofa 2011 may now be history as all of us are  aware, it is also important to highlight it in our strife to ensure that both incumbent and opposition politicians coexist in putting Liberia and its people first in their quest for political power. We strongly harbor the belief that the opposition should have made its presence felt in Voinjama since it was our national day, as a way of even attracting more support and votes from the people of that county , as well as those from the outside.

We do believe that they should have attended, if and only if invitations were extended, and then raised whatever qualms they may have had-whether or not the Independence Day program was a campaign show biz for the ruling party. Now that July 26, 2011 has past, we urge all sides of the political process to place our motherland at the core of their activities. We urge us all (including our political leaders) to always attend national events to exhibit a sense of unity.

Our brothers and sisters must remember that after this year’s general and presidential elections, we will still continue to interact as a people with one destiny. Let us not allow our political egos to drive a wedge between our relationships and love for our country. Let us follow the American style of politics- issues not personality, if we are sincere about making Liberia a true democracy.