Monrovia – Renowned Liberian Clergyman Bishop Kortu Brown has warned against what he termed as the undressing of Liberia’s democracy and the growing wave of insensitivity towards identifying and addressing challenges the country and its citizens are encountering under the Unity Party (UP) led-government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
By Obediah Johnson, [emailprotected]
Bishop Brown is the immediate former President of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) and the current General Overseer of the New Water In The Desert Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Liberia.
According to him, the increase in challenges and the failure of the government and others to identify and address them could possibly pull the trigger of conflict in the country.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa at his church edifice in Brewerville, outside Monrovia on Sunday, August 25, Bishop Brown maintained that for nearly eight months now the Boakai-Koung administration remains “groping,” by working in the day as though it was in the night.
He added that following the inception of the rescue mission government, many Liberians yielded for a change, but they continue to battle huge challenges they have been encountering for decades.
Undressing democracy?
He recalled that Liberia’s flourished democracy was cherished by others around the world as a result of the concessions to defeat by former and current Presidents George Manneh Weah and Joseph Nyuma Boakai after the 2017 and 2023 general and presidential elections respectively.
However, he added that the mountainous challenges and the high level of intolerance confronting, and among Liberians are triggers that could lead to conflict and undress the country’s democracy if steps are not taken to address it.
Bishop Brown emphasized that the growing level of intolerance amongst Liberians also poses a serious threat to the country’s democracy.
“I subscribe to the expectations of all Liberians which is, ‘we expect the (President) Joe Boakai government will do better and try to ensure that democracy is strengthened, the rule of law is strengthened and good governance is enhanced. I also subscribe to those who are worried. I’m worried that if we are not careful, we will undress our democracy.”
Bishop Brown said the government bears the greatest responsibility of sustaining the tenets of democracy in Liberia and as such, it should take the lead in promoting tolerance, good governance, upholding the rule of law and encouraging political participation void of attacks or intimidation.
“The government needs to work in the day as though it is day. There is a difference between day and night. The day is working in reality. You have to face the realities; people are challenged; families are struggling. Schools are reopening and people are worried how their children will go back to school; people are worried about what will be on their tables today and tomorrow. These are the real challenges.”
The triggers of conflict
“There is a growing level of intolerance with each other and insensitivity towards what our challenges are and how we can address them-and for example how we can address what we referred to as the triggers of conflict in our country.”
Bishop Brown emphasized that the unpleasant comments being made on various radio talk shows, reactions and responses, are clear indications that there are people (who he did not name) in readiness to trigger conflict in Liberian society.
He said the ruling and opposition mentality of many citizens, some of whom are opposing everything for lifetime, is another factor that threatens the country’s democracy.
He stressed the need for coordination, engagement and education amongst executives and stalwarts of political parties in the three branches of government as one of the best ways forward to promote tolerance in Liberia.
Bishop Brown called on the government and its citizens to “manage the peace” in the midst of challenges.
Address human needs
He observed that the Boakai-Koung administration continued to place more focus on infrastructural development instead of addressing the basic needs of citizens.
He said though the undertakings of infrastructural and economic developments are welcoming, the government should do more in addressing what he called the “human needs” of Liberians.
Bishop Brown maintained that the national budget remains stockpiled with “recurrence expenses”, making public officials to spend huge money on purchasing vehicles and others.
“There is a challenge of African governance not focusing on addressing human needs. There is more focus on infrastructure, even what they referred to in the budget allocation as recurrence expenses-you buying chairs, cars and fuel.”
He named food, education, access to affordable, accessible and improved healthcare delivery as some of the major human needs that need to be addressed by the government.
Bishop Brown observed that for decades now, Liberia as an aged-old country has not been able to address these challenges, including hunger,increasing poverty and the high rate of unemployment amongst its citizenry.
He observed that in the midst of abundant resources Liberia is endowed with, only few people are enjoying it while the masses are suffering.
Promote national cohesion
He stressed that the government should provide the basic needs of its citizenry, promote good governance and set good examples as part of efforts to sustain democracy in Liberia.
Bishop Brown emphasized that regardless of political affiliation, the government should try to “bring the country together” by encouraging national cohesion amongst Liberians.
He claimed that the UP led-government has failed in promoting national cohesion.
“The CDC led-government about six years ago-they’ve already met with most of the opposition leaders including former Vice President Boakai in the first six months. I expect that by now President Boakai sees former President Weah-the man who called him and conceded that ‘you beat me, I wish you well.’ By now, there should be pictures of both of them, saying hello to one another, shaking hands or sharing ideas.”
He emphasized that the government should “come in the middle” and function properly for the benefit of its citizens.
He said President Boakai should continue to engage major stakeholders in the country as part of efforts to prevent the pulling of the triggers of conflict in the society.
Bishop Brown noted that though it will be a tedious task for the Liberian leader to reach out to all stakeholders across the country, he (Boakai) should be a “daring” leader and avoid playing “big heart” in doing so for the sake of maintaining the peace and security of Liberia, the ordinary people and future leaders.
“We have to undermine the chances of violence in this country. And to do that, all of us should do what I’m doing now and the Government of Liberia should take the lead.”
Follow processes
Bishop Brown further called on the government to follow all legal processes leading to the formation of deals, including the controversial yellow machines and Marcopolo buses deals, being finalized in the interest of the Liberian people.
He said clear procedures and processes stipulated in various legal documents in the country, as well as legislative enactments, should not be downplayed by the government.
He noted that shady deals that are not in the interest of the vast majority of Liberians would backfire and as such, the government should desist from finalizing those deals for the sake of the country.
“If the government wants to take loans, there are already laid down processes for that in the constitution and other laws. They should follow them. You know, bad deals will always backfire. When the deals are not good, they are shady.”
When quizzed whether or not the controversial yellow machines and Marcopolo buses deals of the government would come to fruition, Bishop Brown responded: “I don’t know; we’re looking forward to the end. All we can do is to appeal to the government to follow laid down procedures and what our constitution says.”
On Friday’s violence
Speaking further, Bishop Brown condemned the recent violent clash between officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) and supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
He said though all Liberians should join the combat against the trafficking and sale of drugs and other narcotic substances in the country, the fight should be holistic and non-political.
He challenged the government to provide a full-scale impartial probe into the incident which led to the injuries of several persons and the loss of properties worth thousands of United States dollars in Congo Town, outside Monrovia last Thursday.
Bishop Brown maintained that it was also totally unacceptable and unjustifiable for supporters of the CDC to vent out their anger by setting roadblocks, thereby preventing the movement of motorists and pedestrians from accessing a major route in the country.
“Combating drugs is a fight that the government should mobilize all stakeholders, even the political parties. This is not about whose fight; it’s not even a political party fight; it’s a fight for all Liberians. What happened last Friday-the police taking siege of the front of a main opposition political party-it was not good for us. Whatever happened, we call for an independent investigation.”
He said the probe would unearth what actually transpired and advance findings and recommendations to avoid a recurrence of the incident.
“Anywhere in the world where the state police will enter a major political party headquarters and say they are in search of drugs, it will blow an alarm. That’s what happened to Liberia the last time. If Liberia is safe for investment, the investigative report will tell us; it will help build confidence in investors because something troubling happened here and the government launched an investigation.”
