The political leader of the Liberia National Union (LINU), Clarence Moniba, is calling on Liberians to emulate Senegal and elect him as the country’s youngest President in the 2029 presidential election.
Moniba made the call as he congratulated Senegal President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, 44, on his recent election victory, following months of uncertainty over election being held in that country.
Early Tuesday, morning, March 26, 2024, Senegal woke up to a new President-elect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a former tax inspector and political newcomer who inspired voters, including many unemployed youths, with a vow to fight corruption and reform that country’s economy.
Faye was catapulted into the presidential campaign when he was backed by the popular opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, who had been barred from running due to a prior conviction, but winning Sunday’s presidential poll was a dramatic rise for Faye, who was released from prison less than two weeks to the election, and is now the youngest leader in the West African nation.
In a statement issued over the weekend, Moniba emphasized the need for Liberia to emulate Senegal’s example of entrusting a youthful President to lead the country, extolling the citizenry for its peaceful and transparent elections, which he said set a positive precedent for the region.
“Senegal has shown the world that democracy can thrive in Africa, and I believe Liberia can do the same. So, I urge my fellow Liberians to come together and vote for me as their next president in 2029, so that we can lead our country to prosperity and development,” he said.
According to Moniba, he believes that young people are the future of Liberia, and as such, he is committed to empowering them to reach their full potential by creating a country where every young person has the opportunity to succeed and thrive, regardless of their circumstances.
He maintained, “Again, I believe that Liberia can achieve similar success as Senegal if we come together and work towards a common goal, a goal that will bring your kind to the Presidency that is committed to leading our country towards a better and prosperous future for all.”
Meanwhile, Moniba also congratulated the people of Senegal for setting a lifetime record of electing the youngest head of state on the West African Continent, noting, “I am very proud to see a member of our generation becoming the youngest President on the continent of Africa.”
“I congratulate President Faye upon his historic election as President of Senegal. As I said during our just ended campaign, our generation must believe that we have the skills, education, energy, and ability to change our country for the better.
The young people of Senegal had that belief in themselves that they could and would be the difference, and they went out and demonstrated it to the entire world. So, Liberians, if Senegal can do it, we can do it as well,” the LINU leader intoned.
He furthered, “After all, we are Africa’s oldest independent republic and we can’t afford to always sit back and let other countries lead. And I am not only talking about leadership in politics, but in every sector and level of our society; in health and education, in Agriculture, Law Enforcement, and in our fight against corruption.”
“Because, all around the world, people in their thirties and forties are making great strides and every man or woman must know that we are never too young to lead, and we are never too old to achieve, and it is now upon us all to make the difference come 2029,” Moniba added.
Moniba, who was one of the youngest Ministers during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, participated during the country’s October 10, 2023 Presidential election, which ended in a runoff, with President Joseph Boakai emerging as the winner over former President George Weah.
However, during the campaign, he was a vocal advocate for change in Liberia, promising to tackle corruption, improve infrastructure, and create more opportunities for the country’s youths if elected as President, but things did not go his way as he came below the belt during the polls.
As he congratulated Senegal’s President on his election victory, Moniba also expressed his admiration for the President-elect, Faye, urging him to address the country’s economic growth, infrastructure development, and efforts to combat poverty and inequality heads-on.
