Liberia’s former Vice President says lack of public engagement hurt CDC’s re-election chances; alleges mistreatment during power transition and rates current administration below 10%.
Monrovia, Liberia – In a candid and wide-ranging interview on Spoon TV, former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor broke her silence on key issues affecting Liberia’s political landscape. Reflecting on the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)’s term in office and their narrow electoral loss to the Unity Party (UP), Howard-Taylor admitted one of the CDC government’s biggest failings was its inability to effectively communicate its achievements to the public.
“We did not do well by transmitting what was happening under our government for the people to see. Because what people see is what they believe,” she stated, suggesting that the administration’s efforts were overshadowed by a lack of public engagement.
The former Vice President emphasized that during the CDC’s rule, poverty and unemployment were not as severe as they are now under the current UP-led administration. Despite the CDC losing the 2023 presidential election by a slim margin, she noted that the close result reflected the population’s desire to continue with President Weah’s vision.
Howard-Taylor also spoke emotionally about the transition process, describing how she was allegedly left without transportation after the inauguration of President Joseph Boakai. “I had to stand under a tree for hours, without a chair, and eventually had to call for a private car to take me home,” she said, claiming her official vehicle was taken without prior notice.
Addressing questions on drug trafficking, the former Vice President defended her administration’s efforts, arguing that the CDC inherited a deeply entrenched drug problem from the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-era UP government. “We didn’t sit and do nothing. We tackled drugs trafficking, reinforced border and sea patrols, and arrested major culprits,” she added.
When asked to rate the performance of the Boakai administration thus far, she controversially rated it at just 5 percent out of 10, sparking debate across social media platforms and within political circles.
Throughout the interview, Howard-Taylor repeatedly stressed that the CDC government was active in governance, but failed to adequately inform the public, a shortcoming she believes contributed heavily to their electoral defeat.
Her remarks have reignited discussions about political accountability, transparency, and how much impact communication, or the lack thereof, can have on governance and public perception in Liberia.
