“We Are Not Protesting; There’ll Be A Peaceful Inauguration” –Concerned AFL Widows Chairperson Clarifies
The Chairperson of the Concerned Widows and Children of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Mary Allison, has clarified that the organization has no intent of staging a protest ahead and during the inauguration of President-elect Joseph Boakai.
This clarity comes barely a day after Vivian Mulbah, who claimed to be the Spokesperson of the group, told newsmen that the 2,500 widows had resolved to stage a sit-in action at various intersections across Monrovia beginning Friday, January 19, 2024 up to the inauguration day, Monday, January 22, 2024.
Mulbah claimed that President George Weah agreed to pay each of the widows US$1,500 as benefit for their late husbands who served the country until their deaths, but said the Liberian leader is yet to make good his promise, and he is about to turn over power.
But sharply reacting to the statement in an exclusive interview on Thursday, January 18, 2024 on the Bushrod Island, the Chairperson of the AFL widows, Mary Allison, emphasized that Vivian Mulbah’s threat does not represent the institution.
Providing further clarity, Allison said the group told former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to pay each of them US$1,500 under the Unity Party regime but the former Liberian leader did not pay them until George Weah became President in 2018.
“You see Vivian Mulbah and others can just talk without understanding. When George Weah took over, we told him through Nora Finda Bundoo [Executive Chief of Protocol to the President] that the government owed us US$1,500, but Finda begged us that the government could not pay such money, but rather they would pay us US$1,000 each and we agreed,” she recounted.
She maintained that the Coalition for Democratic Change government was making an effort to pay their US$1,000, which is the actual benefit, contrary to the figure given by Vivian Mulbah, when the Corona Virus outbreak affected the country.
“At the time we were hoping to get our money now, the October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections came, too, so we were just waiting after the elections to remind the government, but George Weah did not win,” the Chairperson noted.
Allison emphasized that the statement made by Vivian Mulbah did not meet her consent as the head of the group, and as such it should not be given credence, saying members of the group will even grace the inauguration.
According to her, Mulbah is neither one of the widows nor is she the Spokesperson of the group, but rather she is a beneficiary because her father died, noting that the lady was among the 2,100 children of the AFL who were paid by President Weah in December 2023.
She called on the public to disregard the unauthorized comment made by the lady, and further urged all widows across the country to disengage from any protest action that may undermine the inaugural program until she gives a definite and an official direction for the group, consultatively.
“President Weah has been doing well for us. The President has always given us rice and soup money, every season. He is a good leader and nobody can do more than their best,” Mary Allison praised the out-going President.
At the same time, Allison assured the public and the in-coming Unity Party government of their commitment to a peaceful transition. She strongly warned the purported Spokesperson, Vivian Mulbah, to desist from making unauthorized and threatening statement in the name of the widows when she [Vivian] is not a widow but a beneficiary.
“Vivian Mulbah needs to stop what she’s doing. All the radio stations and newspapers: y’all should not give her any attention if she comes to you people in the name of the widows. I am the chair of the group; anything, I will speak to the public,” she urged.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Concerned Widows and Children of the Armed Forces of Liberia is calling on President-elect Joseph Boakai to look in their direction upon his inauguration by paying their benefits.
“Boakai has won and he is the new president now. We beg him to not forget about us. President Weah has done his part by paying the 2,100 children and now, we the widows are 2,500, and each of us is supposed to receive US$,1000 as our benefit,” Allison maintained.