Monrovia - With most polls projecting that more than 40 percent of voters are undecided who to vote for in the Liberia presidential elections, a lot of the some 20 candidates eyeing the top seat are reinventing the wheels of political campaigning by reaching out in places they wouldn’t ordinarily go and people they seldom interact with – outside the political campaign season.
Appearing on the Capitol FM’s Breakfast Show last Friday, Charlene Brumskine, daughter of Cllr. Charles Brumskine, standard bearer of the Liberty Party went to great length to erase what she says are negative perceptions about the aloofness of her father.
In the past few weeks, the LP presidential candidates have been making the rounds are markets, conversing with cab drivers and doing everything in search of votes. But he is not alone. Most of the major presidential candidates are getting in on the act. From Vice President Joseph Boakai, standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party joining a group of women to fry plantain to Alexander Cummings, standard bearer of the Alternative National Congress stopping Kekeh riders for a chat, the candidates are leaving no stones unturned. Last week, Cummings, fresh off a western tour in Grand Cape Mount, Gpapolu, and Bomi County, paraded several principal streets of Monrovia this week and walk through in several districts alongside party candidates. At one of those stops in District No. 8, Jonathan ‘Takun J’ Koffa praised the ANC strong man, Alexander B. Cummings’s ability to inspire young people.
“Mr. Cummings is the Moses the young people of Liberia have been waiting for. They know that he can deliver real results and change the lives of young Liberians. He is the only candidate able to develop our country and bring a brighter future for our youth.” While the practice of handshakes is nothing new to the political arena, it is to Liberia where politicians rarely get so up close and personal with voters.
Some political observers say, a lot of the candidates may be taking cue from elections in most Western countries, particularly the United States were candidates are more direct with their constituents. Much noise was made in the second presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton when both candidates failed to shake hands prior to the debates.
The Assyria Times says the practice of shaking hands dates back at least to 1800 B.C., when Babylonian kings would clasp the hand of a statue of a god, in order to allow the god to “hand over” his authority—ensuring, in other words, a peaceful transfer of power. Ancient Greek monuments feature carvings of gods, soldiers, and couples shaking hands. Greek and Roman handshakers also used the gesture to shake each other down for hidden weapons, and to prove they weren’t carrying any themselves.
For this election season in Liberia, politicians are pulling up on all stops. Besides the regular parades, some are turning to riding transportation cars to having campaign aides hold up signs and distribute posters in between traffic, while others are spending a lot of money on billboards. But the one that is even newer to this year’s race is the door-to-door or Jehovah’s Witness-style campaigning. Campaign aides to some candidates are expected to unveil, in addition to the door-to-door, telephone calls to cellular numbers in hopes of winning votes. But at the end of the day, political observers say, it may come down to platforms and how voters view each candidate’s likability factors before making their decisive votes
