By Alex Yomah
The Head of the Traditional Council of Liberia, Chief Zarzar Karwor has warned Chiefs and elders not to use the vehicles given by President George Weah to spread opposition propagandas.
He said the government cars and motorbikes given by Pres. Weah are not intended to spread opposition message in the country.
Chief Karwor told his fellow chiefs that the law that created the Traditional Elders and Chiefs Council of Liberia says, “We must protect and preserve the culture but part of the act says, though we are not in politics but the law that established us says, we the indigenous people must carry government’s messages”.
“The law did not say, we should carry the cars to spread opposition’s messages. I beg you people; I am the head for you people; government did not give these cars so when one party’s people coming then you use the vehicle to spread their message,” Karwor said.
Karwor used an analogy saying, “When you are in a town and don’t have a wife or anyone to cook for you, when a hunter kills a red-dear and he looks at a beautiful lady in the town and gives her a leg of the red-dear, when she cooks it, will she mean the hunter? His answer is no, saying that President Weah has given the chiefs and elders a red-dear’s leg to be remembered”.
According to him, the act that created them says, chiefs should help the government to carry its messages. “Yes, when the President is somewhere, our duty is to go there and carry the message to other parts of the country”.
Chief Karwor assured the President, the chief’s unwavering support, adding, “Anytime you call upon us, we will come to your call, Mr. President.”
However, Chief Karwor cautioned all chiefs and elders to avoid what he calls “Eat so and eat so, because by doing so, he said, “You can’t eat so and eat so and I see you as father of the land; I will deal with you culturally.”
He also warned his fellow elders not to use their tradition to express their anger, adding, “All traditional leaders here; please don’t use our culture to create problem in this country. Don’t use our ‘mask devils’ to protest,” he said.
Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf, who provided the overview of the program said the President’s gifts are intended for the chiefs and elders in the counties to ensure peace and stability and most importantly to transport government’s messages to other parts of the counties.
Varney Sirleaf said the vehicles provided were in fulfillment of President George Manneh Weah’s promises made to the chiefs and elders across the country during his nationwide tour.
According to him, during the nationwide tour which began on February 12, 2021, chiefs and elders requested for mobility, noting that the dedication yesterday was intended to keep his promise.
As part of the promise, the Liberian leader turned over 15 ambulances, 150 motorbikes and 30 pickups, with each county walking away with two pickups, 10 motorbikes and one ambulance.
Minister Varney clarified that the pickups and motorbikes were the President’s personal gifts to the elders and chiefs as his fulfillment of his promises made while the 15 ambulances were purchased by the government of Liberia intended for 15 counties health teams.