“Politics Dangerous Game For Women”

MONROVIA-Former Superintended and embattled female Senatrial candidate in the just ended special senatorial election in Nimba County has termed politics as a ‘dangerous game for women in Liberia’ judging from her experience in the December 8, 2020 poll.

Speaking in an interview over the weekend at the end of the “Let her take her seat” campaign held at Fish Market in Sinkor, Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh asserted that politics in Liberia is extremely dangerous for women because it is a calculated attempt to frighten women to back off.

“In my mind, the violence of all types that you see mounted against women, verbally, physically, and even cash violence carried out in these elections targeting strong women is intentional aim at frightening us women to turn our backs,” Weh lamented.

According to her, the women of Liberia are resolved and there is no turning back no matter the many insults, marginalization, and intimidation from every sphere of the land.

“The more you frighten us, the more you use cash against us, the more you chase us in the bushes like you’re chasing animals to kill. The stronger we will be to stand up because we must share this political space not just for ourselves, but for this nation and the children of this nation.”

Madam Gongloe-Weh who is currently before the National Elections Commission over allegations of fraud and irregularities emulating from the December 8, 2020 elections in Nimba County mentioned that no amount of marginalization and exclusion works to the best interest of any society therefore, the need to include all cannot be overstated.

She further said “In every giving society, you find men and women as such representation must marrow the population for proper growth and development of the nation.”

“You cannot have representation that is all men that is not representation and because the major decisions that run this country are made in the Legislature particularly the Senate; we think that women involvement in the senate is paramount to Liberia’s development,” she emphasized.

Commenting on the fund raiser, Weh termed as a new dawn for women political participation in Liberia on grounds that initiative provides hope for the women of Liberia especially the younger generation.

She bewailed “There are lots of young women who want to participate in politics, but what they see happening to us frightens them, so with this kind of support that we’ve seen will encourage women to become to raise their hands because they now know that there is a sisterhood in Liberia and they are not going to be alone or walk this road alone.”

New Republic Liberia

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.