By : P Uriah Suah
Monrovia, Liberia — Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. has warned that Liberia’s 2029 general elections will be one of the most contested in the country’s political history, citing deepening competition, declining public trust, and the absence of a unified opposition.
Speaking in a wide-ranging conversation with OKFM, the Bomi County Senator said the current opposition has failed, so far, to demonstrate the hunger, cohesion, and strategic engagement needed to challenge the ruling establishment ahead of 2029.
According to Senator Snowe, unlike past opposition groupings that consistently held the government accountable, today’s opposition parties appear fragmented and uncertain about leadership and direction.
“The strange thing is that the opposition has not shown that thirst, that hunger for 2029 as a party,” Snowe said. “In previous times, the opposition was trusted to return power because they stayed united and kept the government’s feet to the fire.”
He recalled how former opposition coalitions, particularly during the period of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), maintained pressure on the government despite internal differences, stressing that unity, not certainty over candidates, made them credible.
“Nobody knew who the candidate would be then, but they were united. That unity made the difference,” he noted.
Senator Snowe said the current political landscape is marked by confusion, with political actors shifting between parties such as the CDC, CMC, MPP, and other groupings, creating uncertainty among voters.
“You hear many names, many voices, but you don’t see a uniform opposition that gives people confidence,” he added.
Looking ahead, Snowe predicted that the 2029 elections would be “deadly,” clarifying that he was not referring to violence, but to an intense struggle for political survival and relevance.
“Not deadly in terms of violence, but deadly in terms of trust and competition. Everybody will want to be there. People will fight politically for power,” he said.
He further predicted that 2029 would mark the end of the political careers of several long-serving politicians, not by choice, but through electoral defeat.
“Some of the names we’ve been hearing for a long time will retire—not voluntarily,” Snowe stated. “People are coming after us.”
The Senator noted that strategic decisions on whether to contest or retire will shape the political atmosphere in the coming years, adding that the real political heat would begin to rise from 2026.
On President Joseph Boakai’s political future, Snowe said the President appears healthy and politically active, suggesting that a possible re-election bid cannot be ruled out.
“When you see him moving around, cutting ribbons, engaging the public, it’s a sign,” he observed.
Asked about his own political future and reports that he could emerge as a political leader within the Movement for Progressive People (MPP), Senator Snowe said no final decision has been made.“I haven’t made that decision yet,” he said. “A lot of things will come into play.”
Senator Snowe concluded that Liberia is heading toward a highly competitive and transformative political era, one that will redefine leadership and test the strength of political institutions ahead of 2029.
