Most of what we’ve observed and heard so far from the day we entered this elections year are defamation, misinformation, disinformation, falsehood and other unwholesome behaviors among politicians and their supporters, who have often brushed aside the issues that are germane to the growth and development of our beloved nation.
This antagonistic style of politicking, in our view, is about personal interest, obsession for power, avarice, and not about the love for country.
The argument has always been, this style of politicking is not unique to this generation of Liberian politicians, but dates back to politicians of years of old.
Accepted, but needs to be changed because it keeps our country under-developed, poor and divided.
Let our arguments and debates leading to the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections be issues-based and not based on misinformation, disinformation and defamation of fellow citizens and political opponents because of dissimilar views on national issues.
Yes, in politics, it is unarguable that one’s views on issues depend on where one sits and with whom one sits. But, no matter which side you on, rampant corruption, insecurity, lack of the rule of law, nepotism, cronyism and the rest of societal ills are gravely affecting our nation and all of us as individual citizens no matter on which side you find yourself.
So you see, the defamation and verbal attacks on each other in the name of politics rather than genuinely debating these decades-long vices to find lasting solutions will continuously devastate our beloved nation, impede its progress in all spheres, and stagnate its progress and economic growth, while further exacerbating the suffering of the citizenry.
This is why we must ensure that the pending elections including all related events such as political campaigns are issues-based and not slanderous or defamatory.
As one local politician puts it, doing one thing the same way over and over, will produce the same results.
Economic growth and prosperity will remain evasive when we, as a people and nation, continue to vote dishonest individuals to high positions of trust and condone impunity because those individuals and officials, who are fond of robbing our nation and people of much needed resources are our partisans, friends and relatives.
Fellow Liberians, unless we change our minds and attitudes, as former Information Minister Dr. Laurence K. Bropleh, has often emphasized, our country is destined to be doomed.
In conclusion, let’s discuss and debate the issues that are germane to the prosperity and economic growth of our country rather than issues that are inconsequential to our overall interest.
