- MOVEE Raises the Gender Bar High to 43.3%
Women’s political representation and empowerment are getting the required
national traction. The Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE),
which claims to have set a new standard for women’s political engagement
and empowerment in Liberia, has announced a landmark achievement at the
conclusion of its county conventions, whereas other parties have not satisfied
the 30% gender quota.
In order to establish a new political trajectory that makes political parties more
answerable to the public and sensitive to issues that are crucial to Liberia and
the future of its people, the party claimed that New MOVEE is conducting
politics in a different way.
The chairman added, “We are quite impressed and proud of the milestone
that this achievement has established,” in reference to his party’s success.
MOVEE continues, “MOVEE feels that it is not sufficient to continuously
condemn while making no attempt to practically contribute to national
development. At the recently concluded conventions in the fifteen (15)
Georgia Coleman, Grand Cape Mounty
County Chair
Malominee B. Smith, Montserrado County
Chair
Garmai Wolagai, Bong County
Chair
Kebeh Pewee, Lofa County
Chair
Estina Y. Smith, Bomi County Chair
Miatta Varmah, Gbarpolu County
Chair
Sara Dahn, Margibi County Chair
counties, which lasted 22 days, MOVEE elected seven (7) women, making up
43.3% of the 15 elected county chairpersons.
“I have come to joyfully announce the completion of the Party’s county
conventions, which have set a new record for women’s political involvement
and empowerment in Liberia,” Mr. Robert M. Sammie stated in a statement
released at the Party’s headquarters in Paynesville on Sunday November 27,
- We give God praise for the teams’ safe return from the conventions’
fieldwork, which began on November 3 in Montserrado County and finished
on November 23, 2022, in Grand Gedeh County.
Bringing women to the national decision-making table, according to the Party,
is one of the most pressing concerns in the world, but many political parties
and leaderships in Liberia are accused of downplaying it over time.
“MOVEE considers it a huge setback for Liberia’s most important collective
efforts for national development to put women at the margins of national
decision-making. Women contribute and have views that are equally as
valuable to the national conversation about politics and development as
males do. As a result, Mr. Sammie stated, “missing such contributions is a
grave error that we must right now.”
The National Executive Committee of MOVEE will now include more women,
the party’s chairman announced. This move comes as Liberia observes the
16 Days of Activism Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SDGV)
against Women. “This decision has set MOVEE apart from every other party
in the lengthy political history of Liberia, and it has ultimately established
MOVEE as the cradle of women’s political participation and empowerment,
where other political parties will seek advice on women’s political
empowerment,” said the decision’s author.
However, the head of the MOVEE credited Amb. Dee-Maxwell Saah
Kemayah’s unwavering and unrivaled stance for gender equity among his
colleagues for his party’s success.
The chairman credited Amb. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., our political
leader, whose commitment to gender parity is unwavering and unparalleled
among his contemporaries, for this great moment in history.
The Party claimed that its accomplishment was brought about by a statement
made in public by its political head on October 8, when he accepted the
responsibility for giving the party political direction.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me remind you that in line with H. E.
Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Kemayah’s public statement on October 8 that we
should go to any length to develop strategies that could attract and bring on
qualified women to take seats at the table of decision-making, I am pleased to
submit that MOVEE has made significant progress in this direction and has
set a remarkable record in Liberia’s political history.
Chairman stated that MOVEE feels it is not sufficient to continually criticize
while making no attempt to practically contribute to national progress, adding
that they are very impressed and proud of the milestone that this
achievement has achieved.
During the recently finished conventions in the fifteen (15) counties, which
lasted 22 days, MOVEE elected seven (7) women, making up 43.3% of the
15 elected county chairpersons.
Madam Malominee B. Smith, the chair of Montserrado County, Madam Miatta
Varmah, the chair of Gbarpolu County, Madam Estina Y. Smith, the chair of
Bomi County, Madam Georgia Coleman, the chair of Grand Cape Mount
County, Madam Garmai Walagai, the chair of Bong County, Madam Kebeh
Pewee, the chair of Lofa County, and Madam Sarah Dahn, the chair of
Margibi County
And the men who were chosen to lead their respective counties are Mr.
Prince Mehn, County Chair of Nimba, Mr. James Waylee, County Chair of
Grand Gedeh, Mr. Anthony Wesseh, County Chair of RiverGee, Mr. Stephen
Russell, County Chair of Maryland, Mr. Jocab Nyemah, County Chair of
Grand Kru, Mr. Gabriel Treason, County Chair of Sinoe, Mr. Arthur Weedy,
County Chair of Grand Bassa, and Mr
Until all Liberians are given the tools to overcome poverty and realize their full
potential and until women are given equal seats at the national decision-
making table, where their voices are louder and heard in all perspectives and
at all levels, just as they are for their male counterparts, Mr. Sammie said it is
a new beginning of a long journey that will not end.
“For this reason, we continue to welcome everyone, especially those who are
weary and burdened by political marginalization and are looking for change.
We are inviting you to join us as we create a powerful party to alter the
political narratives in Liberia. He ends by saying, “We are the New MOVEE,
and we are Moving the New MOVEE Forward.”
