Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe says the 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections present the opportunity for Liberians to sweep corruption and oligarchy governance structure out of the country.
Liberia was established to serve as the home for freedom, equality rule of law, and justice for all its citizens. It was a symbol that marked the end of slavery in America.
It was also meant to serve as an example to show the rest of the world that Africans could govern themselves in peace, justice, and fair management of their resources for the benefit of all citizens.
Addressing students of the African Studies Department of the University of San Francisco, California, USA, on November 16, 2022, Cllr. Gongloe said the founding dream has been betrayed by past and current leaders of Liberia.
He said widespread corruption betrayed the dream, but it is still alive, so the time is now to resurrect it for Liberia to be free of corruption to allow all Liberians to benefit from the promise of the dream.
Cllr. Gongloe, who is a candidate for president in the Liberian 2023 elections as the Standard-bearer of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP), was invited by the Department to speak on Liberia: Past, Present, and Future.
He said the dream for the declaration of Liberia’s independence in Africa was to show the rest of the world that Africans were ready to govern themselves as the European and American were doing at the time.
He said Liberian problems started with the abandonment of its founding purpose by the colonists who chose to replicate their American slavery experience instead of following through on the vision that was brought to Liberia.
Cllr. Gongloe who is also a renowned human rights lawyer pointed out that elections and conflicts, lack of respect for rule of law, and corruption remain major challenges in Liberia.
To resurrect the betrayed dream, Cllr. Gongloe believes begins with all Liberians’ support and vote for candidates who are willing to summon a new dawn of zero tolerance for corruption and equal application of the law regardless of one’s status in the society.
He said the 2023 elections provide the opportunity for all Liberians especially the eligible voters to teach corrupt and abusive government power users a new lesson that government is an avenue to serve and to humble, not an avenue for stealing and cruelty to fellow citizens.
He urged Liberians to vote for candidates who are willing to summon a new dawn in Liberian beginning with the presidency to begin the process of sweeping corruption out of the country on day one of the new government.
The LPP torchbearer said he is willing to be the touch-bearer of the corruption sweepers in Liberia aimed at creating equal fighting chances for all Liberians.
He said being in government is an opportunity to serve and not to seal and promises the creation of quarterly lifestyle audits for all government officials serving in all three branches if elected.
Salaries and benefits of all officials will be published and aired for public access and corrupt officials will be fired and turned over to the Liberian Anti-corruption Commission (LCC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Speaking on behalf of her Department of the School, Lilian Dube, Chairperson of the African Studies Department, said Africa is the future of the world, and “we need to hold the torch for the generation of Africa, not Liberia alone.
She described Cllr. Gongloe as the torch of hope and thanked him for his unwavering to justice and human rights.
Meanwhile, Cllr. Gongloe is scheduled to visit several states in the United States at the invitation of his United States-based Liberians who are hoping to see rule of law and good governance in Liberia.
