Council Of Churches Begins Engaging Politicians And Political Parties, As Tensions Mount Ahead Of October Polls
PHOTO: Reverend Christopher Toe, LCC Secretary General
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
As tensions mount amongst political actors ahead of the October 10 presidential and legislative elections, the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC)) has begun engaging politicians and political parties to ease tensions, as the LCC speaks out against use of the pulpit as a springboard for war of words.
This is in clear reference to two politicians-turned Gospel preachers–Senator Prince Johnson and President George Manneh Weah.
Two of the top political actors have come to the fore in recent weeks—Nimba County Senator and political leader of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) party, Senator Johnson and President Weah who is Standard Bearer of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC.
First Senator Johnson, using his pulpit of his Church in Monrovia’s Paynesville suburb, recently heaped invectives at President Weah and accused him of plotting his assassination. Then came President Weah days later on the pulpit in his personally established Forky Klon Jlateh Family Fellowship Church also in Pay and to ease the tension leading to the holding of the presidential and legislative elections in the country.
That was recently followed by President George Weah who retaliated by describing Senator Johnson as a killer and a blackmailer and extortionist, saying that he was a man of peace and would never kill anyone. Instead he said it was the ghosts of those Johnson killed during the Liberian civil war that were haunting him.
Senator Johnson said President Weah was not sincere, urging Liberians not to vote for the CDC-led government because of alleged corruption.
But over the weekend, LCC Secretary General, Reverend Christopher Toe disclosed that as a part of the engagements with political actors, the Council has ended a one-day discussion with Senator Prince Johnson and the Liberian Church leaders are expected to hold discussion with President George Weah shortly.
Earlier, there were reports that a meeting had already been held between President Weah and Sen. Johnson.
Speaking in an interview, the LCC Secretary General disclosed that the Council has received assurance from Senator Johnson not to use the pulpit as a means of launching jargons at perceived opponents
According to him, the Council of Churches will be engaging the Representative of Montserrado County District #10, Yekeh Kolubah , and other independent candidates on the need to be civil in their political utterances.
Church leaders to also meet NEC and Foreign Diplomats
Reverend Toe also indicated that that Council will hold discussions with the National Elections Commission, the West African regional organization, ECOWAS, the United States Embassy and the European Union on the possibility on re-visiting the Farmington Declaration.
The Farmington Declaration is the frame work document drawn by political parties, ECOWAS, the European Union and the National Elections Commission purposely to conduct a peaceful and violence free election in 2017.
Since this year, there have been reports of tension erupting in several parts in the country between supporters and sympathizers of political parties and politicians.
Few weeks ago, it was reported that violence erupted between supporters of former NPA Managing Director a, Bill Twehway and Andrew Peters both of whom are eyeing the senatorial seat in Rivercess County in October this year.
In Nimba County, there were reports of some level of violence erupting between supporters of some legislative aspirants in that region of the country.
Many are worried that an upsurge in tensions could be fueled by the presence of various militant brigades in both the ruling CDC and other opposition political parties who are predominantly youths.