An estimated 1,000 pastors from over 500 churches, under the banner of the Kingdom Legislators in Gbarnga, Bong County, have committed to voting a new breed of leaders. They vowed to rally the Christian community in support of Alexander Cummings and Counsellor Charlyne Brumskine as the best and most trusted alternative to assume the mantle of leadership come October 10, 2023.
Religious leaders are probably the most influential group of people in the Liberian society, with vast majority of the citizenry depending on them for spiritual direction, which they many times exploit to influence the socio-economic and political perspectives of the society. In several homes, wives and mothers tend to give keen attention to what pastors would tell them and obey the pastors even more than their husbands.
Many Liberians interviewed by the Hot Pepper placed Cummings and the CPP at a distant third place, behind rivals CDC and UP. However, the endorsement of Cummings by the 1,000 pastors could possibly defy the political odds and result into massive support from hundreds of thousands of the electorate. For instance, if each of the pastors has about 200 persons in their congregation, and they succeed in influencing 50% of their followers, the number would sum up to 100,000. And if the followers take the message very seriously and decide to influence members of their families, Cummings would automatically be in the run-off election.
To ensure that their words are heeded by their congregation, the 1,000 pastors have vowed to get actively involved in helping to provide moral guidance and inspiration to their members on the accrued benefits of electing competent, qualified and responsible leadership that will be sensitive to the needs and aspirations of the Liberian people.
At a special program attended by hundreds of citizens from the seven electoral districts of Bong County, held at the Gbarnga Methodist School campus, on Friday, July 28, the pastors pledged to mobilize Christians nationwide to vote on their motto, “Voting New Breed, Without Greed”, for one President, one senator and one representative.
Kingdom Legislators, established nearly two years ago, is a Christian faith-based political organization, with membership in six of the fifteen counties, including Margibi, Nimba, Lofa, Montserrado, Grand Bassa, and Bong as their stronghold.
Kingdom Legislators’ spokesman, Pastor Dominion O. Roberts, said the church has a moral responsibility to provide divine guidance to its congregations in choosing visionary leaders that fear God, morally upright and fit to work and guarantee economic prosperity for its people.
Pastor Roberts said Kingdom Legislators’ decision to support the ticket of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) followed a series of engagements, interactions and facts check on the past records, achievements, capabilities, family orientation and fitness of Cummings and Cllr. Brumskine to assume leadership.
Pastor Roberts urged churches and religious communities to get actively involved in helping to provide moral guidance and inspiration to their members on the accrued benefits of electing competent, qualified and responsible leadership that will be sensitive to the needs and aspirations of the Liberian people come October 10.
The Pentecostal prelate urged Liberians to carry the conviction that Liberia will rise again, with the understanding that it is dependent on the choices that Liberians will make come October 10 general and presidential elections.
Cummings, accompanied by his wife, Teresa, and CPP stalwarts, expressed special thanks and appreciation to the leadership of Kingdom Legislators and Senator Henry Yallah, former Bong County Senator, for the impressive program and massive turnout by the pastors, church representatives and workers, as well as citizens and supporters from the seven electoral districts of Bong County.
Cummings underscored the critical and significant role of the church and religious communities in the transformation of any country. The CPP Standard Bearer reaffirmed to uphold the tenets of good governance, and resuscitating the ailing economy, giving equal rights and access to jobs and opportunities, irrespective of political and religious affiliations or ethnicity.
Cummings vowed to lead by example, without discrimination. “Whether you are members of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Unity Party or the CPP, there will be no special preference, except based on qualification, competence and strict adherence to the rule of law,” he noted.
He said a critical part of his change agenda is the development of a strong and vibrant private sector, ensuring Liberians have access to loans to own their businesses. Cummings said a vibrant and thriving private sector will create massive jobs and opportunities for Liberians, which will reduce the heavy reliance on government for jobs.
The program was followed by interactions with questions and answers on issues ranging from the CPP agenda for real change, economic policy, job creation, to rising drug abuse especially amongst youths, growing insecurity, as well as the family orientation and marital life of Cummings.
The CPP Standard Bearer said ensuring access to finance for Liberians to establish and grow their own businesses will be a top priority, while at the same time creating the enabling environment to attract direct foreign investments.
He said Liberia will change by changing the processes and systems of government and breaking away from the centuries old ways of doing things that have retarded progress and growth, resulting to massive suffering and extreme poverty.
Cummings said a CPP administration will decentralize the operations of government by pushing opportunities and responsibilities for job creation across the country.
On drug abuse, Cummings said a CPP government will stop the influx of drugs, arrest and prosecute drug smugglers and dealers by properly equipping Customs and Immigration officers and paying them living wages, which will make them effective to robustly enforce the laws controlling.
He said youths on drugs will be rehabilitated and given basic training and skills that will afford them the opportunity to get a job to earn a livelihood.
The CPP Standard Bearer said the police will be trained, equipped and reorientated to be professional in the fight against crime, with responsibility on every citizen to report crime and help the police in successful criminal investigation and prosecution.
In remarks, former Bong County Senator, Henry Yallah, cautioned his kinsmen against repeating the mistakes of electing incompetent and inept leaders only to regret and complain about the economic hardship. He pleaded with citizens of Bong County, the general membership of Kingdom Legislators and all Liberians to entrust their faith in the leadership of the CPP for a better Liberia.
Several other personalities as well as representative aspirants of Bong County made remarks, lauding the enviable records and achievements of the CPP Standard Bearer, which, according to them, made him the best and most suitable to be the next President of Liberia come October 10, 2023.