Monrovia – In Liberia politicking’s is usually centered on personal attacks. Breaking from the past, the Angie Brooks International Centre has launched the Talking Bus Project which intends is to shift the election campaign focus to issue base rather than personality driven politics.
“The purpose of this project is to move from personality driven politics to issues driven politics, that will benefit our communities and country, today we gathered to launch the Talking Bus Project,” Cllr. Yvette Chesson-Wureh said.
Cllr. Chesson-Wureh averred that Liberia is at a critical juncture adding that the world is watching.
“I cannot overly emphasize how crucial this election is, again Liberia is at the cross road and the world is watching how we determine our destiny,” Cllr. Chesson-Wureh said.
“We cannot afford anything that will stagnate our forward march to set a good example of true democracy. Civil society, especially women CSOs are leaving no stone unturned for a level playing field that will support a peaceful electoral process.
It is against this backdrop, that we at the Angie Brooks Randall Center have initiated these series of projects ahead of the elections, with the talking bus as one of the initiatives.”
The “talking Bus” project is a component of the overall women’s Situation Room-Liberia.”
“It seeks to get community members involved in engaging Presidential and Legislative aspirants on what kind of development initiative is most needed in their communities.
The project will sensitize communities to start thinking about what their issues are, so that they are able to adequately engage the politicians during the period of campaign.
It will stimulate all members of the society to turn out to vote on elections day for a candidate of their choice, who has best articulated how to address the issues of their community.
The engagement will bring disaffected population into election year discussion and sensitize local communities to mitigate all forms of elections related violence ahead of the electoral process.
The project has targeted nine hotspots in eight counties of Liberia, where the bus will visit and create a platform that will give community members the ability to speak truth to power and influence politicians on what kind of development is most needed.
This will give the selected communities a rare opportunity to present in their own voices those issues that are important to them, thus avoiding a replication of projects by politicians seeking their votes.
The Angie Brooks International Centre is an outcome of the International colloquium on Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security, held in Liberia Monrovia, Liberia and Co-covened by President Tarja Halonen of Finland and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.
The Centre promotes women’s empowerment; Leadership development and International Peace and Security throughout Africa.
Consistent with its mandate to support the decisions of the colloquium in line with UNSCR among other, the centre actively engages in women’s involvement in peace and security in Liberia and across the African continent.