PHOTO: Motorcyclists and some YMCA volunteers pose for photo
By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- One year to presidential and legislative elections in this West African state, commercial motorcyclists in Lower Bong County in the central region have signed an agreement in support of a nonviolent campaign for the pending 2023 polls.
They’ve also agreed to respect electoral laws before, during and after the elections to ensure a violence-free process.
Some of the motorcyclists in queue to sign onto the nonviolence campaign
Speaking on behalf of his cyclists the President of the motorcycle union Lower Bong Chapter Mr. Karsor Walker Davis said, for too long motorcyclists in Liberia have been branded as violent sort of people, but no more cyclists will be used by anyone to instill violence in society.
According to him, violence is inappropriate in a growing society like Liberia especially where the country will soon go to critical elections comes 2023. “During elections, people leave all of their businesses to stand in the rain and sun to exercise their political franchise, so there is no need to disrupt the process”, he said.
At the same time Mr. Davis added, “From now on I can assure and promise government that no more motorcyclists get involved with violence especially in the Lower Bong area”, he said.
For his part Totota City Mayor, Clinton L. Brown claimed that motorcyclists have been looked down upon in many instances by politicians who only need them in time of political campaigns but fail to pay attention to them following elections.
Mr. Brown Further asserted that not all motorcyclists come from bad homes for many are now high school graduates while others are striving to acquire secondary education in order to contribute their quotas to national development and peace building.
He then noted that cyclists signing to a peace campaign was an opportunity for them, something according to him, there are others who would have wanted to be part of the history making process but unfortunately the cold hands of death have taken them away.
Meanwhile, for his part speaking on behalf of his entity YMCA Liberia Communication Officer Mr. Morris Kamara mentioned that Civil Peace Service CPS with support from Bread for the World does not only propagates the good messages of peace, but also helps to foster gender sensitive issues in the country.
Mr. Kamara maintained, that motorcyclists have a very crucial role to play in the peace building process of the country, and especially when Liberia is about to go to elections 13 months from now. He wants cyclists across the country serve as ambassadors of peace in their respective communities.
The Tuesday October 4, 2022 event was organized by the Liberia CPS through YMCA with support from Bread for the World. The event was launched with the goal that young motorcyclists commit themselves to nonviolence by signing on posters.