On August 25, CABICOL members raised their “prophetic voices against the rise of political violence, often associated with elections in our country.”
“We did condemn unequivocally such acts and invited all Liberians from different political parties to work together, ensuring that our elections are not synonymous with violence,” they said August 25, making reference to their May 2019 statement.
In their November 29 ahead of the Advent Season, the members of CABICOL also call on eligible voters in the country to consider it their civic and patriotic duty to take part in the upcoming Senatorial elections.
“There cannot be voter apathy,” they say, adding, “We all need to take part in the process. By so doing, we are consciously contributing towards our own destiny.”
Further, the Catholic Bishops in Liberia remind elected officers in Liberia that they have “the grave responsibility of contributing towards the gift of life of the people.”
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“This they can do by enacting laws that promote an atmosphere in which every person has a dignified life,” CABICOL members say and caution politicians against the distribution of handouts which make “the majority always poor and dependent.”
They make reference to Pope Francis’ latest Encyclical Letter, Fratelli Tutti, saying, “Helping the poor financially must always be a provisional solution in the face of pressing needs. The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work.”
“We, therefore, call on those elected and those to be elected to lead us always thinking about the common good of the people,” say the members of CABICOL.
On the issue of the Referendum expected to be held simultaneously with the Senatorial election, the Bishops reiterate the call made by the Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and other civil societies to have the ballot postponed.
CABICOL members cite “lack of proper civic education, procedural errors and clarity” as some of the reasons that justify their call for a deferment.
Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.