History is continuing to be made in Liberian electoral democracy, with both winners and losers in the October 10, 2017 Legislative elections coming together in Town Hall forums to dialogue for sustained peace and nonviolence.
The latest of such dialogue fora was in Montserrado County District No 1 in Todee, outside the capital, Monrovia, where Lawrence Morris, the winner of the Representative seat, some of his former rivals and the local people have agreed to prioritize peace.
At the forum held in Nyhen Town, they also spoke of the need to prioritize education and agriculture over political bickering arising of the heated political conflict prone rhetoric that marked the campaign for leadership in the district.
The forum was organized as part of the “THE DIALOGUE” series of the Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives (LMDI) of prominent Liberian Journalist John Kollie.
An LMDI press release said the discussions last weekend centered on keeping District No. 1 peaceful in the aftermath the heated campaign that marked the elections.
Rep. elect Lawrence Morris was joined by defeated candidates Emmanuel Yakapazuah, Jonathan Garnette and constituents at the Nyhen Town gathering which brought together more than one hundred locals.
They spoke of the need to rather prioritize what they called the formidable challenges faced by the district. Reconciliation and Peaceful co-existence amongst former candidates.
They stressed the urgent need for progress in the district followed by education and agriculture.
Education, the people and their leaders discussed is pivotal as it will open the horizon of the district’s young people in keeping the peace.
On reconciliation, former candidate Jonathan Garnette emphasized the need for all former contenders in Montsrrado District No. 1 election to work with the winner, Lawrence Morris to move the district forward for its growth and development.
The audience was particularly concerned about need for qualified teachers.
Agriculture featured as priority concern with assertions that if residents are empowered to grow, the importation of Liberia’s staple, rice will be minimized and even curtailed.
The empowerment of women and other vulnerable groups was also stressed, through the provision of revolving loan scheme which will enable them improve their businesses.
An institution of the Group of “77” or physically challenged persons were mentioned as needing rehabilitation.
There was a debate about the issue of cleanliness, which is necessary in order to keep district residents healthy, with emphasis on plastic bags loosely dropped in streets of the district.
They called for a face-lift to be given their district and the instituting of a trash-management system.
When losers and the winner were asked to say in one word what their parting word would be, they named “Reconciliation, Togetherness and Love”.
A particular quotation by a physically challenged person ‘Jerome Glalakpai was of interest. Glalakpai remarked:
“This forum by LMDI, has afforded us district residents, the opportunity for the first time to directly meet our newly elected leader and his defeated contenders, a situation which opens an unusual space for peace at the leadership level of our district. With this, we can have some sense that the leaders will not fight and that development will then be guaranteed.”
For the winner Rep. elect Lawrence Morris, he told the gathering that he considers all former contenders as winners and promised to work collectively with all of them and the people for peace and development within the district.
Morris recommitted to his campaign promise for a consultative leadership. Reconciliation, Peace and Education will be the priorities of his time in the legislature for Montserrado County District No. 1.
The Nheyn Town Todee forum was the latest in the continuing series of elections violence prevention and peace forums with support from the USAID and Swedish Embassy near Monrovia through Carter Center Liberia facilitated Civil Society violence prevention coalition, the Peace Action Network (PAN).