In the words of Davy Crockett, “I am at liberty to vote as my conscience and judgment dictates to be right, without the yoke of any party on me.”
As we approach the polls on October 10, 2023, for the Presidential and Legislative elections, I urge my fellow Liberians, young and old alike, to reflect on our years of peace and resist the temptation of violence.
For too long, our voting patterns have been entangled with party affiliations, extending a barter system where votes are exchanged for short-term gains. It is time to break free from this cycle and vote for leaders who genuinely seek to transform our nation and lay down pillars that will positively shape the lives of all Liberians, young, old, and ordinary citizens for generations to come.
The cover image of this article captures a moment six years ago in Foya district, Lofa county. It was taken by me during a USAID-funded Liberia Media Development (LMD) Program implemented by Internews, where I worked to enhance the capacity of rural journalists to use technology for effective reporting during elections.
As you, yes You who are reading this article gaze upon the smiling faces in the image, ask yourself, what has become of their lives now? Can they compete with their peers in neighbouring sub-Saharan countries in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)? Frankly, I doubt it.
Hundreds of thousands of young people in Liberia face limited opportunities to pursue advanced studies, particularly in STEM fields. The dream of studying in Europe becomes their beacon of hope. This reality is disheartening.
For those considering abstaining from voting, I plead with you to reconsider. Our future is at stake, and politicians are not doing us a favour — we must demand what is right by making our voices heard on the ballot papers.
Our Agriculture and Technology sectors are a mess — a failed one. It is time to ask tough questions and demand actionable plans from our leaders. As we contemplate these crucial decisions, let’s not forget to critically evaluate the candidates on their ability to lead and positively impact the lives of ordinary citizens. You may not find a perfect candidate, but I urge you to decide on what we have.
Please, stay safe and vote right!
Editor’s Note: The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Local Voices Liberia
About the Author:
Carol Doe is a Technology for Development Professional with over 8 years’ experience across the Media, Health, Sports, and Telecommunications sectors. He is a Platform Manager at Viamo – a Canadian based Company that uses interactive voice response (IVR) lines and robocalls to create complex platforms to reach the world’s 4 billion basic phone users, at scale, regardless of: Internet Access, Literacy, Access to Smartphones and Language.