By Grace Bryant Mollay
Women across Liberia have launched a nationwide campaign in support of Edith Gongloe-Weh, the only female candidate in Nimba County’s upcoming senatorial by-election.
The initiative, branded #SheDeservesASeat, officially began on April 15, 2025, and marks a critical push for gender equity in a political system historically dominated by men.
Gongloe-Weh is vying to fill the seat left vacant by the late Prince Yormie Johnson, a polarizing figure and former warlord.
Her candidacy is being championed not only as a political opportunity but as a broader movement to reshape Liberia’s democracy into one that better represents all its citizens.
“This is about breaking barriers and creating a democracy that reflects all of us,” declared Naomi Tulay-Solanke, speaking on behalf of the organizing women’s coalition.
The campaign has galvanized women from all walks of life—activists, lawyers, community leaders, and ordinary citizens—who are pooling resources and mobilizing voters. With only 10.7% of seats in Liberia’s legislature currently held by women, the coalition sees Gongloe-Weh’s candidacy as a rare chance to challenge deeply entrenched gender norms, particularly in Nimba County, which hasn’t elected a female senator in nearly three decades.
Prominent voices have joined the cause, including Charlyn Brumskine, founder of the Charlyne M. Brumskine Law Group.
Addressing online critics who have attacked the campaign, Brumskine emphasized that the fight for women’s representation benefits all Liberians. “None of us here will benefit personally if Madam Gongloe-Weh wins this election. We are doing this for our sons, our husbands, and yes, our daughters,” she said.
Brumskine pointed to African nations with strong female leadership as evidence that gender inclusion leads to better governance. “The best-run countries, the richest and most stable ones, are often those where women lead or share power equally,” she added.
The campaign’s organizers report facing a wave of misogynistic backlash and political intimidation—tactics they say have long been used to suppress women’s participation in Liberian politics. In response, they’re calling for increased protections for female candidates and urging male allies to speak out against gender-based exclusion.
“We are raising funds, mobilizing our networks, and calling on all Liberians—women, men, youth, traditional leaders, civil society, and faith-based groups—to stand with us,” said Tulay-Solanke.
As the by-election approaches on April 22, the movement surrounding Gongloe-Weh’s candidacy is shaping up to be a watershed moment. It could determine whether Liberia’s groundbreaking leadership under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the start of a new era—or a fleeting exception.
Women Rally Support For Lone Female Senatorial Candidate
