BY: SHALLON S. GONLOR / shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY — Comes August 12, 2025 residents of District 5, Nimba County Representative Byelection will go to the polls to elect their new Representative at the House of Representatives to replace former representative now-Senator Samuel Kogar, who was recently elected as Senator of Nimba County.
Madee Kamah Wongbay is a sole female representative aspirant against ten males in the Nimba County District 5 Representative By-election.
Born April 14, 1979, Madee Kamah Wongbay is the daughter of Ma Kamah Doris Bouye and Arthur Wongbay, both natives of District 5, Buuyao, Nimba County.
Madee has risen above significant personal and societal challenges to become a symbol of courage, determination, and advocacy for women’s empowerment. Despite facing limited support from both her partner and family, Madee pursued her political and professional aspirations with unwavering determination.
She is a dedicated single-mother of many children in and out of Liberia — firmly believes in breaking barriers and building a better future for women, girls, and young people in her community and County, Nimba.
In her professional journey, her career spans across various fields — Law Enforcement, a female police officer — contracting, and entrepreneurship.
Known for her strong advocacy, Madee has championed the inclusion of women in the police force — taken bold steps to address social issues affecting youth, especially their involvement in community betterment. As a community change-maker, she promotes gender equality and works tirelessly to ensure that women and girls alongside boys are included in development and decision-making processes.
Her vision aims to become a transformative leader — uplifts others through education, training, and empowerment initiatives that enhance community participation and leadership opportunities. Madee Kamah Wongbay’s political journey in the district’s by-election reflects a commitment to social justice, inclusion, and the empowerment of marginalized voices — especially women and children.
She continues to inspire others by navigating societal challenges with grace and resilience. Madee Wongbaye is an officer of the Liberia National Police, an entrepreneur, and a politician — contesting to become the next representative of District 5, Nimba County. However, female participation in politics and winning in Nimba has historically been swept under the carpet — female political participation suffered defeat and dire consequences.
Why go into male male-dominated contest?
Women’s political participation is a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy — facilitating women’s direct engagement in public decision-making and is a means of ensuring better accountability to women. The lone female representative hopeful in the Nimba County District 5 Representative Byelection said her ambition to go to the election is crucial based on several reasons, including: Diverse perspectives, Representation, being a Role model, and Equality and justice.
For Diverse perspectives, she believes women bring unique experiences and viewpoints to the political arena, enriching decision-making processes;
On Representation, she wants to ensures that women, children, and socital interests and concerns are addressed, promoting more inclusive policies.
On the issue of being a Role model, she says women in politics inspired and empowered other women, especially young girls, to pursue careers in public service.
For equality and justice, the female candidate says women’s participation helps promote gender equality and justice, addressing issues like reproductive rights, equal pay, and violence against women. Madee Kamah Wongbay concluded that the promotion of women’s participation in politics help to create a more inclusive, equitable, and just society for all.
At the same time, Madee is calling on national and international CSOs body — UN Women, and European Union to support her bid in multiple ways to overcome the barriers of gender discrimination. Madee notes with seriousness constraints women politician face —gaps in capacities or resources that prevent them from competing effectively to sustain their voters.
Madee wants increased support from kind-hearted donors to facilitate her political movement, including polling stations located in remote areas on election day.
