Kouyateh: Liberia’s Future Cannot Be Built on Empty Political Promises
By Auwal Umar
Liberian statesman and senior diplomat, Sheikh Al-Moustapha Kouyateh, has urged political leaders to focus on the immediate challenges facing citizens, warning that Liberia’s future cannot be secured through election promises while people struggle with hunger, poverty and other economic hardships.
Mr Kouyateh, an entrepreneur and Pan-African advocate, said the country’s political leadership should prioritise the welfare of Liberians instead of placing excessive emphasis on the 2029 elections.
He questioned why political discussions were already focused on 2029 when, according to him, many citizens were struggling to afford food, pay school fees and meet basic household needs.
“For God’s sake, we are in 2026, not 2029,” Mr Kouyateh said.
He asked how many Liberians would continue to suffer before the next election cycle if leaders failed to address the problems confronting citizens now.
“Do you know how many Liberians will starve, suffer or die before we get there if we keep pretending people can live on promises?” he asked.
Mr Kouyateh also criticised the country’s political parties, accusing them of failing to deliver meaningful benefits from Liberia’s natural resources to the wider population.
He said Liberia was blessed with abundant land and natural resources, yet a significant portion of its population continues to experience poverty.
“Liberia is a graceful country. We have land. We have resources. We have a small and productive population,” he said.
According to him, the country’s natural wealth should be managed in a manner that creates opportunities and improves the living standards of its citizens.
He questioned the benefits Liberians have received from concession agreements involving the country’s natural resources, arguing that such resources should not primarily enrich individuals or powerful interests.
Mr Kouyateh also called for greater accountability in governance, saying leadership should be judged by its ability to empower citizens and promote national development.
“Leadership is not talk. Leadership is responsibility,” he said.
He further expressed concern about political divisions in Liberia, questioning why leaders continue to focus on campaigns and partisan interests when citizens are struggling to provide food and education for their families.
Mr Kouyateh said politics should be an instrument for development rather than a means of distracting citizens from pressing socioeconomic problems.
He warned that changing political leadership alone would not necessarily improve the lives of Liberians unless the country addressed the deeper problems of poverty, poor accountability and the management of its resources.
He also questioned the wisdom of asking citizens to wait until 2029 for political change while many are struggling to survive in the present.
“What is the guarantee that we will even make it to 2029, when the majority are living on expectations, not prosperity?” he asked.
Mr Kouyateh urged Liberians to demand accountability from their leaders and insist that national resources be used to create opportunities, strengthen public services and improve citizens’ welfare.
He ended his message with a call for citizens to take a more active role in demanding responsible leadership.
“Arise, Liberians. Enough is enough,” he said.
