I have come to build, not to steal

By Lincoln G. Peters

Former Montserrado County District #12 lawmaker and chairman of the Political Science Department of the University of Liberia, Richmond Anderson, says he has decided to join the opposition Liberia National Union (LINU) to help rebuild Liberia and not to steal public funds. 

Speaking over the weekend at LINU office when he officially signed and declared his membership with the party, Mr. Anderson noted that he has not come with deception and demand.

According to him, he has come with a vision, aspiration and blueprint to help LINU in ensuring that Liberia is built for the betterment of all Liberians regardless of their social, economic and political affiliation. 

“Coming back home to join LINU, I have not come with deception, demand, I have come with my heart, my mind all open up for us to see how best we can build Liberia. The fault is not in the sight of those who led Liberia from 1847 to present. Whatever they did, it’s within their sight. We have come to join this party to see how best we can build and transform Liberia to a better, noble height in the interest of the commoners and the destitute Liberians”,  he declares. 

Mr. Anderson initially joined the Liberty Party in 2011 but later crossed over to President Weah’s ruling Coalition for Democratic Change before losing the District#12 seat in 2017.

“This I am saying without fear or favor. We have not come to steal government money. We have not come to acquire wealth for ourselves. If that could have been the case when I was in the 53rd Legislature, I could have but I spent all on my people and it’s manifested in the many projects. My wife calls me Mr. District because I care for my people. We are not politician in handbag but politician with substance”, the former lawmaker brags.

He continues that he has come to see how best he can brainstorm with the political leader, Dr. Harry Fomba Moniba, Jr., and all LINU partisans on how they can work collectively to deliver Liberia to a better transformative agenda. Dr. Moniba is the son of late Vice President Dr. Harry F. Moniba, Sr., under slain President Samuel Kanyon Doe.

Dr. Moniba, Sr., died in the United States reportedly in car accident in 2005 prior to the election the restored democratic governance won by the first female President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.     

Over the weekend, Anderson and his entourage flooded the headquarters of LINU after declaring his membership with the party. 

He was escorted by his beautiful wife and tens of thousands of supporters of District #12, who shouted “Anderson, we made mistake, and we have realized that. We will carry you 2023.”

But, addressing supporters following declaration of his membership and signing of documents, the university lecturer assures that he has come with a clear heart and a purpose for service. 

“Today, I have come with my wife and few of my children who followed me to declare my membership with the Liberian National Union (LINU). I am doing this without stupor. I owe this to no political party in Liberia because I am not a political grasshopper, political buffoon. Today, your humble servant is a renowned author with my books recognized by the Library of Congress. The 11 books among millions of books in the whole world, 9 placement in Africa and 3 placement in West Africa”, he explains.

Giving reasons for his resignation from the Liberty Party, Anderson recalls that he contested on Liberty Party Ticket and became the first representative of district #12 Montserrado County in the 53rd Legislature, but adds that subsequently while at the LP, he observed inconsistency, betrayal, deception and lies. 

“Right after I lost the election, I am very gratified, pleased and very acclaimed to say I resigned from Liberty Party. All along, I have been on my own. I decided to go in politics because of deception or pretense. For example, if today, I wanted to pretend, I could have called my students’ next block and they will follow me here. But after they come what’s next? It will be a deception to the highest degree to Dr. Moniba”, he notes. 

The former district#12 representative says those that are with him are all his supporters from the district, who believe in his vision and aspiration to provide a better leadership there. 

Narrating his encounter with former Vice President Dr. Harry F. Moniba, of the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) and his relationship with LINU, Mr. Anderson says LINU has been his political home.

“I want for us all to stand up and recognize the owner of the facility through whom mentorship I became known in politics, and that is the late Dr. Harry F. Moniba, former Vice President of Liberia. Let us give him his flower despite not being here. I can remember 37 years ago, I was a youth aspiring to attend the University of Liberia. And I heard about the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL). I came in this same building and register to join this party. That is where my entire political sojourn started”, he reflects.

He continues that after joining the party, the late Vice President called him in and he responded because of the word “Democratic.” 

Mr. Anderson says for that reason, the former VP wished him all the best and introduced him to the chairman of the party, saying “From that introduction, I became secretary general of NDPL in Clara Town, constituent coordinator in District #9, chaplain, national vice youth chairman. After 37 years, I went through another political journey, became the first representative of District #12 Montserrado County in the 53^rd  legislature.”  Editing by Jonathan Browne