Monrovia — Bishop Dr. Kortu K. Brown, former President of the Liberia Council of Churches, has expressed deep disappointment in Liberia's trajectory, describing the nation as a "crawling country" 177 years after independence and 21 years since the civil war.
Speaking at the end-of-year prayer week at the New Water in the Desert Apostolic Pentecostal Church, Bishop Brown criticized the current Unity Party-led government for failing to inspire hope and direction since taking office on January 21, 2024.
"Disappointingly, the country continues to be holistically hopeless, with politics marred by personal vindictiveness, greed, and largely immature leadership," Bishop Brown lamented. "Our leaders have failed to follow the good examples of even our neighbors in Africa, instead promoting mediocrity and extreme partisanship to the detriment of peace, security, and national unity."
Bishop Brown warned that Liberians are closely watching leaders who prioritize selfish interests, undermine the rule of law, and perpetuate a cycle of shame for the nation. He emphasized that such leaders would be held accountable by the people.
"If Liberia must move forward, it must graduate from crawling and rise up to walk," he declared.
The bishop urged the government to better coordinate its national efforts to restore hope and confidence among ordinary citizens, cautioning against creating a sense of hopelessness that could erode trust in leadership and governance.
Bishop Brown also criticized the prolonged power struggles in the Legislature, which he said have delayed critical national work, including the passage of the national budget.
"Unnecessary power plays on Capitol Hill have stalled progress. If one group controls all the power, what will ordinary people gain from it? The previous administration had complete control for six years--what do we have to show for it?" he asked.
The bishop called on the Supreme Court to take a moral stand and reset Liberia's political landscape, warning that ordinary Liberians are gradually losing faith in the country's systems.
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"All eyes are on the Supreme Court to see whether it can take the moral high ground and realign our national politics," he said.
As the New Water in the Desert Assembly continues its weeklong prayer event from December 1-8, Bishop Brown implored the Almighty to remove Liberia's "shame and reproach" as the country transitions into 2025.
In his concluding remarks, Bishop Brown reiterated his call for national unity and progress, urging leaders to rise above divisions and work for the collective good of the nation. "It's time for Liberia to stop crawling and rise up to walk," he stressed.
