“I support her fully”

-Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine commits to VP Taylor’s second term bid

By Jerromie S. Walters

Like any other political process, the endorsement of a prominent figure can significantly impact the outcome of an election. This drives us to the noteworthy female politician in Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine, who contested as a vice presidential candidate to Mr. Alexander Cumming in the previous presidential election,but has chosen to support the current vice president in the pending runoff election.

In an interview with WomenVoices over the weekend- Cllr. Brumskine says one possible reason behind her support is the alignment of values and ideology between she and VP Taylor.  “She has always been a confidant, and a big sister to me. I want for Liberians, men and women to know the importance of having a woman as the Vice President. We have come this far and we should not go back. We should make sure that every presidential ticket that wins has a woman. That’s my goal so I stand with her and I support her fully-“ she says.

Cllr. Brumskine adds- “VP Taylor was the only woman for the Vice President ticket of the top three political parties’ tickets at the time. She and I maintained that level of respect, I always said it was never about competition between she and I, but it was about allowing men and women to see that Liberian women can lead also.”

By endorsing Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, Cllr. Brumskine has identified common ground on women’s political participation and a lot more. Pundits have acknowledged that Cllr. Brumskine’s support to her fellow female reflects a commitment to advancing gender equality in politics.

By actively supporting the VP in her pursuit of a high-ranking political position, Cllr. Brumskine aims to challenge the prevailing gender imbalance in politics and inspire other women to engage in political leadership roles. Undoubtedly, this commitment can serve as a powerful symbol of solidarity and encouragement for other females that participated in the October 10, 2023, general elections and voters alike.

However, Cllr. Brumskine clarifies that her decision to support the Vice President’s second term bid is not backed by personal proximity, but for the mature network they have maintained and the interest of the Liberian people.

Cllr. Brumskine had previously participated as a vice presidential candidate in the previous election but did not emerge victorious. Her decision to endorse the vice president in the runoff unarguably demonstrates her commitment to advancing gender equality and representation in the political sphere.

“One of the reasons I entered the race was to inspire young women to actively participate in politics and let young women know that we can open the door for them, I really wanted to inspire them,” Cllr. Brumskine tells WomenVoices.

In the pending runoff election, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor stands as the sole female candidate, representing a beacon of hope and progress for women across the nation. In the view of Madam Sammie, this historic moment calls upon Liberian women to rally together and support her candidacy, as it signifies a significant step towards gender equality in the country’s political landscape. 

By throwing their weight behind Vice President Taylor, Liberian women can pave the way for a brighter future for themselves and generations to come. Like Cllr. Brumskine, political pundits see Vice President Taylor’s candidacy as a breakthrough moment for Liberian women, breaking the long-standing barriers that have hindered their political representation, especially having a female Vice President for two terms and subsequently becoming the country’s second female president if the support continues. 

Like several other Liberian women, Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine is a young, vibrant, and well disciplined female lawyer. She has an unmatched legal expertise, having founded and managed the rapidly growing CMB Law Group in Liberia for 20 years. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law in Washington D.C. and a Bachelor of Art degree in Political Science from Barnard College in New York.

Cllr. Charlyne’s father, the late Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, was constantly in the top four during Liberia’s last three postwars elections and  in the 1990s served as Senator for Grand Bassa County — which is the Liberty Party’s stronghold. 

In addition to her commitment to the state and its people, Cllr. Brumskine is much more than just a legal luminary, as she’s also a generous philanthropist, dedicating 15% of her annual income to educating children from kindergarten to university. She is a major donor to education in Grand Bassa County and Liberia through the Brumskine Family Foundation and has contributed over 500,000 LRD to Liberian government hospitals.

Cllr. Brumskine is a champion of gender rights, supporting women’s sports, and advocating against gender-based violence and abuse. She is also a sponsor and supporter of sports at both the county and national levels in Liberia. Her passion exceeds to the disadvantaged and vulnerable in society. She provides loans for small businesses, distributes food and medication to elderly and disabled homes during holidays, and has helped reintegrate disadvantaged youths into society.

Women’s commitment to VP Taylor’s reelection 

About a week or two ago, the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) endorsed the second term bid of President George Weah.Reading the endorsement statement, ANC’s Secretary-general Counselor Aloysius Toe said the negotiation team, led by CPP’s former vice standard bearer Cllr. Brumskine met with both CDC and UP and they all agreed with the CPP’s terms and conditions. He said the decision to choose which party to support then rested squarely on the shoulders of the executive committees of both the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the Liberty Party (LP), the two constituent parties of the CPP. Fortunately for the CDC, both executive committees overwhelmingly chose the them.

Speaking earlier before the endorsement, VP Taylor said the decision of the CPP showed that it requires the collective effort to build Liberia. “I want to say if we have done anything to anger anybody or to make anybody excluded, let me be the first to say we are so sorry. We need to make our politics more unique. So that we care for what’s happening on the other side and the other side will care for what’s happening to us. So, I believe this is a new day. Let’s rise to the challenges, let’s put our goods together and let’s build Liberia.”

At the occasion, Cllr. Brumskine said the decision was not an easy task. “No one should ever think that this was an easy decision. We made the decision after careful thoughts and we hope that after November 14, we will all rally around Liberia and move this country forward,” she said. 

Like other women, Madam Julia Duncan Cassell, also recently endorsed the VP. She describes the incumbent- “President George Manneh Weah (Great Man Walking) “Born to succeed.” In her opinion, President Weah is, “Liberia’s Miracle Child’ and the man who does the unusual.” Madam Julia Duncan Cassell is a former Gender Minister. She ran as representative against Matthew Joe in the just ended elections in Grand Bassa County.Weeks ago, in what political pundits described as a dramatic twist, Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh, the influential leader of the Friends of Edith (FOE) Movement in Nimba County, confirmed her support to the reelection of President George Weah in the upcoming runoff Presidential election.

This surprise endorsement, which came to light on October 26, 2023, sparked a fervent discussion about its potential impact on Liberia’s political dynamics. Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh, a prominent figure in Nimba politics, emphasized the gravity of her decision, stressing the crucial need to choose a leader capable of steering Liberia away from its tumultuous history of underdevelopment and civil conflict. Last weekend, Bong County District #6 Representative Moima Briggs Mensah, conglomerated hundreds of citizens of Salala District, Bong County, at the District administrative hall, and endorsed the Weah-Taylor’s ticket ahead of the pending runoff election. At said occasion- Representative Briggs encouraged that as they (electorate) did for her in the October 10, 2023- legislative election, similar commitment must be replicated in the VP’s interest. “I know Jewel, she can’t lie. Jewel will not come to do it for all of you.” “Jewel is number two, go on the 14th of November and vote number two. If it’s not for you, do it for Bong County. 

“She stood up for Bong, she has shown women’s representation. She has put Bong County on the map.” With this, she assures- “We will stand by you as women because you are our own. We will vote for you, we will talk to people and we will make sure that you will be re-elected because you are our own.” Following Friday’s endorsement in Bong County, the endorsement for the re-election of President George Manneh Weah swelled, with the endorsement of Independent Vice-Presidential candidate, Madam Cecelia Cuffy Brown.

In a statement issued a few days ago, Madam Cuffy Brown recalled, “on July 15th, 2023, I entered the Liberian electoral race to contest for the Position of Vice President of Liberia, pairing with Robert F. Morris who contested for the Presidency of Liberia.” “On Oct 10, 2023, we exercised our fundamental right to vote, exercising our political franchise. At the end of the election, no one was declared a winner, however, the Unity Party and CDC emerged as the top 2 political parties to contest the runoff election. After much prayer and soul searching, of the two candidates put forward, Joseph Boakai and George Weah, I selected to endorse the 2nd term of Dr. George Manneh Weah. Mr. Weah took over the nation’s affairs and navigated the past 6 years with difficulties yet with grace to develop the nation. Despite tough economic situations in Liberia and all around the world, there are tangible development projects that can be seen throughout his 6-year term. It is only prudent that we give him an additional 6 years so that he completes his national development projects.”

The Weah-Taylor ticket is also being supported by newly elected Grand Cape Mount County District 1, Representative Bintu Mansaray and Gbessie Feika Sonii, District 3, Grand Cape Mount County Representative elect. More to the above women, VP Taylor is also being supported by Representative elect Rugie Barry of District 1, Montserrado County, Wokie Dolo, a representative candidate in the recent elections and several other women.

Women at the presidency 

Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected in 2005 as the first female President of the Republic of Liberia. She is a prominent politician and economist. She served as the 24th President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018, becoming the first elected female head of state in Africa. Madam Sirleaf is widely recognized for her leadership, particularly in promoting peace, democratic governance, and women’s empowerment. 

Political pundits believe women’s commitment to the elections of Madam Sirleaf paved the way for the current Vice President. Since her departure from the presidency, VP Taylor is the only female that has footed next to the presidency.  Because of this- many Liberians have emphasized that women must do all they can to ensure that she gets to the peak.