Letter From Saclepea: You Can Win An Election With Propaganda. You Cannot Govern With It.

**Musa Hassan Bility Criticizes Unity Party Administration’s Governance Approach**

In a recent commentary, Musa Hassan Bility has criticized the administration of Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, arguing that the government is relying too heavily on propaganda rather than addressing fundamental national issues.

Bility, who noted that he did not support Boakai in the 2023 election, stated that while the President entered office with significant experience, the administration has failed to deliver the promised transformation. He argued that the conditions that led to the defeat of the previous administration—including economic hardship, inadequate social development, and governance concerns—remain largely unchanged.

The commentary highlights the government’s response to the recent return of former President George Weah as a point of concern. Bility suggested that the public demonstrations accompanying Weah’s return should be viewed by the current administration as a sign of widespread public dissatisfaction with living conditions and government performance, rather than merely as political support for the former president.

Bility cautioned that the Unity Party appears to be using propaganda as a primary tool of governance. “You can win an election with propaganda. You cannot govern with it,” Bility wrote, asserting that such tactics cannot address practical challenges like infrastructure, employment, healthcare, or the impartial administration of justice.

Furthermore, Bility criticized the administration for continuing to focus on the actions of the previous government nearly three years into its term. He argued that the current government must move past blaming its predecessor and address its own performance, noting that the public is increasingly distrustful of government narratives that contradict their daily experiences.

Bility concluded by urging President Boakai to look beyond his political party and the influence of those who provide only favorable feedback. He emphasized that the administration still has time to shift its focus toward building a government that leaves the country in a better state, warning that the government’s current reliance on its own political narrative may eventually be overtaken by the reality of the public’s lived experience.

Article and image source: analystliberiaonline.com