Monrovia, Liberia – Senator Amara Konneh’s admonition to President Boakai to grant majority cabinet positions to residents of Lofa and Bong Counties has been characterized by the National Youth League of the Coalition for Democratic Change as a divisive religious and tribal card.
The Gbarpolu County Senator recently shared a statistic on his official Facebook page on the number of ministerial positions that President Joseph Boakai has appointed. The figure stated that the Liberian leader has not yet selected a single Muslim for a position in his ministry.
The Coalition for Democratic Change Youth League’s National Chairperson, Emmanuel Mulbah Johnson, expressed worry about Senator Amara Konneh’s recent use of divisive rhetoric in a press release released on Wednesday, February 7, 2024.
He claimed that by criticizing the president’s most recent appointment, the lawmaker, a high-ranking official in the Unity Party administration, is being insensitive to the needs of the local community and his own religion.
“Such a statement brings back painful memories of our dark past, when we had warring factions founded to defend specific religions and tribal and regional affiliations, such as the ULIMO-K, ULIMO-J, Lofa Defense Force, NPFL, and INPFL.”
The Youth League emphasized that Senator Konneh’s behavior of inciting religious and regional fuel is hazardous, pointing out that these are the primary causes of the nation’s 14-year civil strife.
According to the Youth League, the Gbarpolu Senator, a former Finance Minister who is a member of the Muslim community, ought to work to advance peace and harmony rather than sounding the alarm by singling out particular religious communities or geographical areas that have been passed over for ministerial positions.
“We were concerned that Amara’s statement might offend the Kissi people or Lofains as well as make them feel threatened.”
In reference to a statement made by Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson on the same day as Amara Konneh, the CDC Youth League Chair revealed that the divisive rhetoric based on region and tribe is gradually making an appearance. The lawmaker attacked President Boakai for allegedly ignoring the people of his county during the appointments.
According to Johnson, it is depressing that a man who took part in some of Liberia’s worst crimes, including the assassination of the country’s president, is still active in the political sphere at the expense of others who remember the terrible times of the war and are calling for justice.
This is concerning, and Senator Amara Konneh’s attempt to create a sense of division by sounding the war drum and debating which tribe or religion is more important than the other under the Boakai-led administration suggests a collaboration with PYJ similar to that of the ULIMO era, which would not be unfamiliar to Liberians, Emmanuel Johnson stated.
The Youth League Chair however, stress that Senator Amara Konneh will be held accountable in the event of any impending tribal or religious strife, claiming that he is the cause of it.
Reported by: Jenneh Borbor
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