Liberia's Political Uncertainty Persists
by a correspondent
IN A seven-worded simple sentence, "I will run for president in 1985," Gen. Samuel Doe, the Liberian Head of State has firmly put an end to the widespread speculations about his ambitions to remain in power but in the process has raised further doubts about the type of administration to be ushered in after 1985.
Decree No.88 reactivating political activities has been issued paving the way for the formation of political parties. This Decree also revokes Decree 75(a) which empowered the Special Elections Commission to deny the registration of political parties or independent candidates whose members or officers at any time whatsoever had engaged in activities or expressed adverse ideological aims and objectives.
With these measures, it would appear that the stage was set for the formation of political parties to contest the promised elections in 1985 as opposed to the pre-coup era when the True Whig Party effectively was the only political party in Liberia for 133 years.
It was certain the True Whig Party was not going to resurrect in its same former shape but there was also no doubt that its members and support- ers would congregate under a new name to present a political force in the electioneering campaign. Other parties were expected to emerge under the leadership of names like Mr Gabriel Bachus Mathews, ex-Foreign Minister under Gen. Doe who has already announced the setting up of a United Peoples Party with a broader base than his proscribed Progressive Party, to embrace former members of the True Whig Party and the Movement for Justice in Africa, (MOJA).
ACTIVITY
Other persons expected to play a leading role in the formation of political parties are Dr Amos Sawyer, a lecturer at the University of Liberia who was the chairman of the commit- tee which drafted the new constitution, Dr Biomas Fahnbulleh and Dr Togba Nah Tipoteh, both former leaders of MOJA.Gen. Doe, warning in his independence day address that political activity should be left to the politicians, singled out the universities and schools where he said politics will not be permitted and that anyone caught engaging in it would be arrested and detained without trial. Was this threat going to discourage Dr Anos Sawyer from entering politics?
Dr Fahnbulleh, Dr Tipoteh, and possibly General Thomas Quiwonkpa who are all in exile were expected, after seeking further clarification, to take advantage of Gen. Doe's invitation to those Liberians living abroad to return home to make a contribution to the country's political and economic development.
But with Gen. Doe's declared intention to run for president in 1985, the uncertainty that hung over Liberia's political future had returned, thereby reviving questions which were asked in the columns of this magazine some weeks ago.
These are: Is General Samuel Doe holding fast to plans for elections to return Liberia to civilian rule in 1985? What type of civilian administration does he intend to usher Liberia into? Is he going to divest himself of his military credentials and adorn a civilian title as Dr Samuel Kanyon Doe, President of the Republic of Liberia? These questions remain unanswered after Gen. Doe had lifted the ban on politics. On the contrary there are even more questions to be answered.
The ruling military Peoples Redemption Council has been dissolved and replaced with an Interim National Assembly made up of the members of the military Council and thirty five nominated civilians.
With General Doe as the President of this interim assembly which according to an official statement represents all shades of political alignment in the country, is he going to be mandated by the assembly to declare himself the President of the Republic without elections? Will this be precipitated by an orchestrated pledge of encouragement and support from traditional rulers and other identifiable sections of the Liberian society for the General to hang on to power?
Or will Gen. Doe simply lead a political party to contest the elections against other parties? How fair will such elections then be?
The questions are becoming interminable as General Doe comes out with a succession of decisions which don't give a clear picture of Liberia's political future.
— Gen. Doe: more questions than answers
