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ADNews-Monrovia, Liberia: The quiet political tension between Montserrado County District #13 Representative Edward Papay Flomo and Deputy Minister Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah is beginning to resurface, this time through acts of community generosity as both rivals make substantial contributions in a clear bid for grassroots influence ahead of the 2029 elections.
By: Frank P. Martin
Over the weekend, Deputy Minister Kruah of the Ministry of State and Presidential Affairs made a widely publicized donation of 50 umbrellas and L$500,000 to 50 market women in District 13, marking her second round of personal aid to the struggling petty traders. The donation, according to Kruah, is solely financed from her monthly salary, with L$100,000 earmarked each month for what she calls her “personal outreach program”.
“It is our way of giving back to you, our people. We have not forgotten about you,” Kruah told scores of residents of district#13, believed to be her supporters.
Just two days later, Representative Edward Flomo responded with a more politically weighty gesture, donating L$660,000 to the District Football Team currently participating in the Montserrado County District League. The money is intended to compensate the players and boost morale as the team pushes further in the tournament.
The recent wave of community support comes as the two public figures, who have twice faced off at the polls, in 2018 and 2023, rekindle their rivalry.
On both occasions, Kruah failed to unseat Flomo, who now seems to be cementing his grassroots appeal through direct support to youth and sports, an influential base in Liberian politics.
Though Kruah insists her donation is “non-political”, residents see a familiar pattern as she strategically targets market women, an often decisive voting bloc.
In contrast, Flomo’s donation to the district’s football team not only touches youth engagement but carries symbolic weight in a district where football commands immense attention.
Kruah’s most recent donation, held in the presence of dozens of local vendors, included L$10,000 cash per recipient along with umbrellas to protect their goods from rain and sun. In total, 108 market women have benefited from her generosity in two phases. Beneficiaries, like Cynthia Wilson, praised Kruah’s effort, saying the support “has improved our lives and business environment.”
Still, Flomo’s single-day contribution of L$660,000 appears to have overshadowed Kruah’s weeklong philanthropic buzz.
Residents of the District told the Independent that these acts of giving, though humanitarian on the surface, are unmistakably tactical as both figures position themselves for the 2029 electoral season or possibly a by-election if political winds shift.
“District 13 has always been hot politically,” said Alfred K. Zinnah, a resident of the district. “What we are seeing is the early shaping of public opinion through philanthropy, a soft form of campaign that doesn’t violate election rules but clearly sets the stage.”
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