We are still four solid years away from elections in Liberia, but some politicians are already preparing themselves for the 2029 elections rather than focusing on planning for the next generation of Liberians. This attitude from some of our politicians calls for sober reflection about how Liberians have envisioned their lives and country to look in the 21st century despite global geopolitical tensions and the growing wave of nationalism.
The 2023 elections saw Liberia deeply divided on regional and tribal lines. However, in 2029, the situation might be different. I can’t promise you, but the 2029 elections in Liberia will not be business as usual. This time, it will not be about personalities, slogans, party loyalty, regions or tribes. It will be a results-driven moment intention – an election shaped by the lived experiences of ordinary Liberians and Liberian Diasporas perceptions of the country. Politicians across the political spectrum must be prepared to answer hard but measurable questions:
- Are Liberians better off today than they were six years ago?
- Has unemployment truly declined, or has it only shifted from one form of struggle to another?
- Has corruption been reduced—or merely taken another form?
- Are our counties finally connected by durable, all-weather roads, or do rural communities still remain isolated?
- Is electricity reliable and reaching all corners of the nation, or is darkness still the norm after sunset or a rainy day?
- Are our schools and hospitals functioning as they should, or are Liberians still left to deal with limited teaching- learning materials in classrooms and lack of sufficient resources for hospitals?
- Do people feel safe in their own country—day and night or are police still struggling to deal with criminals in towns and cities?
- And most critically: is food security still a dream, or is it now a secure right available to all citizens?
These are not rhetorical questions. They are the core of what will be the 2029 “final exam” for both the ruling establishment and the opposition. The Liberian people are not waiting to be surprised – they are sending a clear message in advance: the era of vague promises and recycled excuses is over.
Come 2029, votes will be cast based not on who talks the loudest or who campaigns the longest, but on who has delivered – and who convincingly plans to deliver. Liberia demands answers. Liberia demands results. And this time, the people will hold every leader accountable irrespective of political orientation or ethnicity.
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