Efforts by former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor to retain her position as the second most powerful person in Liberia – Vice President to former President George Manneh Weah – did not materialize, as the party on whose ticket she was running-mate, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), flopped at the polls, losing to opposition Unity Party (UP) in the 2023 elections.
It is not only that the CDC lost the elections, but intringuingly lost to the UP in the county of the vice president – something that defiled modern political formula, according pundits.
But almost three years after the election loss, citizens of the county through Senator Prince Moye have justified their reasons for voting against their most illustrious daughter, saying it was not done out of direspect but for perfect representation – a euphemism that Madam Taylor did not do much to ensure Bong County citizens benefited from the CDC-year administration in terms of representation in government and development.
Sen. Moye, one of those who fronted the anti-Taylor or CDC campaign, said the action was meant to demand better for the County, clarifying also that it not an attack on her personally. They campaigned heavily on a message of “county first,” saying Bong needed elected officials who would be directly accountable to the people on the ground.
The Senator who spoke at the weekend at the Bong Athletic and Social Intellectual Center in Gbarnga, boosted that county’s voters made a deliberate choice in 2023 to “reset” its political standing.
He told the gathering of local leaders and citizens, “I do not regret that we took our daughter, Jewel Howard-Taylor, from the bondage of the vice presidency. We did not do it because we hated or disrespected her, but to send a clear message to the past regime that our county and its residents deserve better.”
Moye stressed that the decision should not be framed as an act of hatred or disrespect toward Madam Howard-Taylor, who served as Vice President from 2018 to 2024 and hails from Bong County.
According to him, the vote was a statement on representation and delivery.“Political leadership should be measured by its ability to deliver meaningful benefits to citizens and advance the interests of the communities it represents,” Moye said.
“The decision involving our former Vice President was driven by the need to demand better representation and greater attention to the concerns of Bong County residents.”
He argued that despite holding the second-highest office in the land for six years, many communities in Bong still faced the same challenges with roads, schools, clinics, and youth opportunities.
His comments contextualizes the shifting political landscape in Bong County.
Since taking office in January 2024, Moye has positioned himself as one of the most vocal senators from the county, pushing for projects and oversight in health, education, and infrastructure.
His latest remarks come amid ongoing discussions in Bong about political representation, legacy, and what constituents should expect from those they elect.
His comments met with mixed-reactions, with some residents applauding, saying Bong County “gave a lot to national leadership and got little back.” but others cautioned that internal criticism should be balanced with unity, especially as the county lobbies government for major development projects.
This paper did not get response from the former VP up to press time, but in previous interviews, she has defended her record as Vice President and Chair of the Senate, citing advocacy for women, peace initiatives, and support for Bong County projects.
“We are past the campaign, so the questions being asked now is about what Bong is getting, what roads are being built, what jobs are being created. “That is the standard we must all be judged by,” he said.
Sen. Moye called on citizens to hold all elected officials, including himself, accountable, and urged Bong people to remain united to attract development from central government and partners.
Whether that interpretation holds will depend on what changes residents see in Gbarnga, Salala, Fuama, and across the county in the coming years.
For now, the Senator’s message is clear that the removal of a daughter of the soil from the vice presidency was, in his words, “to send a message that Bong deserves better.”
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