Monrovia – Madam Miatta Nema Fahnbulleh, born on September 29, 1979, in Liberia, has been elected as a UK parliamentarian representing Peckham. She is a Liberian-born British economist and the daughter of Dr. Henry Boimah Fahnbulleh, Jr., a prominent Liberian politician and diplomat who served as Security Advisor during the regime of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr [email protected]
Miatta Fahnbulleh was named after her father’s sister, Miatta Fahnbulleh, a Liberian musical icon and social activist. She stood as the Labour Party’s parliamentary candidate for Peckham in the 2024 United Kingdom general election. The Labour Party is a social democratic political party in the United Kingdom, known for its alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists, and trade unionists.
With her election, Fahnbulleh has earned a seat in the House of Commons, the British Parliament’s elected body consisting of 650 members known as Members of Parliament (MPs). MPs are elected to represent constituencies through the first-past-the-post system and hold their seats until Parliament is dissolved.
In her victory speech, Fahnbulleh expressed gratitude to the people of Peckham: “Thank you to the people of Peckham. You have placed your trust in me and I will work day and night to repay that faith. I promise to be rooted in this community and to fight for you. I will be your loudest voice, your fiercest defender, and your proudest champion, and together we will rise.”
According to British news outlet Southwark News, Fahnbulleh’s campaign focused on local economic revitalization, housing, and tackling crime and antisocial behavior. The 44-year-old was previously Chief Executive of the left-wing economic think tank, the New Economics Foundation. She has been noted as one to watch within the Labour Party and has been working closely with Labour’s shadow treasury in recent months.
Fahnbulleh succeeds Harriet Harman, who had been the local MP since 1982 and served as Deputy Leader and Acting Leader. In her remarks, Fahnbulleh said, “Harriet blazed a trail for women like me, and I am incredibly proud to be standing on her shoulders.”
The voter turnout in Peckham was 54.11 percent, significantly lower than the 63.5 percent in the predecessor seat Camberwell and Peckham in 2019.
Peckham, a district in south London, has a diverse community, including a significant British Nigerian population, leading to the area being dubbed “Little Lagos.” As of 2011, the entire Peckham area had a Nigerian-born population of 5,250 people.
