Press Release, January 17, 2023
KAKATA, Margibi County – Two weeks after he took a tour of Lofa County where he visited all nine districts to great reception, on Saturday, Dr. Moniba visited Kakata, Margibi, where he marched the principal streets with over a thousand people alongside him.
Is his announcement for presidency imminent? His message was apparently the same in Margibi as it was in Lofa, Become the Change you want to see in our country. But what does that mean for Dr. Moniba and will he be able to sustain these massive crowds throughout the country?
While the older generation continues to honor his father’s memory because of his past contribution to the country, the younger generation seems to be taking in his message. Can we assume that the reports from his camp are true that Dr. Moniba will be announcing his run for the presidency very soon?
Obviously, time is running very short, so whether he runs or not will have to be decided in the matter of weeks, not months. Someone close to him who did not want to be named said that Dr. Moniba, at forty-three, thinks that the vote rich counties and their young population would support his candidacy.
Is the 2023 field already defined with the top three candidates, or will there be room for a new face in Liberian politics to emerge victorious?
What’s Next for LINU
Will LINU test the waters, or will they form a block to collaborate with – or against the incumbent government?
Since 2017, when LINU agreed to support the candidacy of President Weah, many observers assumed that LINU and the CDC led government would continue to remain collaborators, especially because of the recent non-binding MOU signed by several parties in March, which laid out a framework of working towards a common goal. Nothing, however, has been said or done since the highly covered press conference which was hosted at the 16th Street party office of LINU. Now, with the younger Dr. Moniba ascending to the political leadership of LINU, the assumption is that there will be major changes in both the ideological and political direction of the Party.
What is Center Right Democracy?
With LINU’s motto of Peace, Prosperity, Justice and Progress, the Party touts itself as a Center Right Democracy. This means that they are not extreme in either direction. As their original vision bearer stated when he established the party, “LINU is a party of the people, created to do the people’s work with honesty and integrity. Above all, this party must be a relentless advocate of patriotic commitment to the maintenance of the country’s peace, growth, and development.”
Can LINU become a Major Player
Over the years, LINU has played a consistent, but supportive role in Liberian politics. In 2015, they successfully won a case against the National Elections Commission in the Supreme Court when the issue came up about a simple majority; and, as mentioned before, have successfully supported the winner of the past three presidential elections. No matter their past alliances, they have yet been able to attain true national prominence since the death of its first partisan, Dr. Harry Moniba. This is something that Dr. Moniba (the son), has vowed to change going forward, stating that “LINU will be a force not only in politics, but will continue to play a role in the development and direction of our country. We are a political party not just to win elections, but to change our country in a positive way.”
LINU’s Next Play
What is next for LINU remains anyone’s guess as the 2023 election cycle draws near. Most would think that a collaboration would be the most logical step for LINU as recent history in politics has shown that collaborations are necessary for any type of political success. The question now is where will they find a home?