Liberia: What Undecided Debate Watchers Thought of Bong Senatorial Candidates Following Sunday’s Debate

Gbarnga, Bong County – “Nothing to show as achievements over the last nine years,” “he’s part of the reasons behind the incomplete Bong County Technical College,” -those were some of the words of a group of undecided voters used to describe the incumbent senator and Congress for Democratic Change candidate Henry Yallah’s performance during Sunday’s debate in Gbarnga. For Deputy Speaker Prince Moye, candidate of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), voters described him as “greedy”, “a member of the same group of leaders behind the incomplete Bong Technical College,” “Acts like he is a saint but he has also contributed to the lack of underdevelopment in the county”.

 The debate was organized by the Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives (LMDI) in collaboration with INTERNEWS.  The debate had in attendance Yallah, Moye, Madam Dorothy Tooman, Mohammed Nasser, Menikpakei Dumoe and Dr. Mogana Flomo, Jr.

With just a week left before Election Day, most voters have already made up their minds about who they’re going to vote for. Only 6% of voters in a recent poll conducted by our reporter in the county said they were still undecided.

That small section of voters was typically the target audience of senatorial candidates at the debate, but it’s unclear whether Sunday’s afternoon back and forth helped distill anything for people who haven’t backed a candidate yet.

The decisions by both Yallah and Moye – both of whom have served for nine years (Moye as representative for District 2, Yallah as senator for nine years) to avoid asking each other at the debate angered debate watchers, with many blaming the two lawmakers for being in the know behind the current incomplete status of the Bong County Technical College despite the allocation of over seven million United States dollars over the years.

“The both of them just confirmed that they are behind the underdevelopment of the county, by their decision not to ask each other a question. Definitely not voting for either,” Benjamin of SKT told FrontPage Africa.

Benjamin told FrontPage Africa the debate didn’t clarify his choice in any way.

“I’m definitely not going to vote for Moye and Yallah, but I can’t say who has won my votes,” she said.

Angel Flomo, 28, a resident of Gbarnga, told FrontPageAfria she was hoping to hear more from Yallah and Moye about what has been responsible for the snail paste of the community college when the two elections have served for the same length of time, one year after the school project was launched.

“Yallah and Moye didn’t convince me,” she says. I am not voting for the both of them because they have had a hand for the lack of development in the county.”

Mohammed Donzo, 32, a resident of Palala in District One, told our reporter he didn’t come away convinced by either candidate’s message, but that the rhetoric from Moye during the debate about reconciling the county did make sense to him. “Moye is unforgiving. He has caused disunity in the county by his declaration to contest. If he were a reconciliatory person he would have stepped aside for someone else to contest,” he said.

“I think the biggest thing I took away from the debate was that Moye and Yallah have been part of the problem in the county as demonstrated by the decisions by both of them to avoid asking each other questions,” he said.

While most of the undecided voters sampled by FrontPage Africa were not moved by the two lawmakers during Sunday night’s debate, there were some cheers for the other four candidates who showed up during the debate.

After the debate, four participants said they would vote for Menikpakei Dumoe and two decided on Mohammed Nasser. Nine remained undecided.

Ruthie Sumo, from Gbarnga, said she entered the debate hall unsure, but came away ready to back Dumoe. “I don’t think it’s important to vote the two lawmakers. If we are claiming that Yallah hasn’t done well, we shouldn’t be talking about Moye who has also served for the same length of time Yallah has served for and there is no improvement in the county when it comes to development,” she said.

Sam Bemah, from Suakoko District, said Dr. Mogana Flomo, an independent candidate, exceeded his expectations.

“I was surprised that he did as well as he did,” he told FrontPage Africa. He asked the hard questions to both Yallah and Moye and both of fumbled on those questions. So, I feel like his performance was strong, but perhaps just not strong enough for me to make a decision.”

Eugene Cooper from Totota came away from the debate intent on voting for Tooman, the lone female candidate in the race. “I think he addressed the main issues confronting the county and how she intends to address them when elected senator of Bong County. I was moved by her deliberations during the debate. I am surely voting for her.”

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