Alternative Youth Radio CEO Declares Intention for 2029 Representative Bid

Zorzor, Lofa County: Prominent youth advocate and media entrepreneur James Papy Kwabo has officially announced his intention to contest for the Lofa County District #5 representative seat in the 2029 General and Presidential Elections. The declaration took place in Borkeza, Zeyama Clan, where Kwabo was born and raised.

Widely known for his slogan “Not Too Young to Lead,” Kwabo has played a significant role in local development initiatives and currently owns the Alternative Youth Radio in Zorzor, a platform that has amplified youth voices and community concerns across the district.

According to Kwabo, his decision to finally step forward is the result of twelve years of persistent community appeals. Speaking during his declaration in Borkeza, he revealed that citizens first urged him to contest in 2017, again in 2023, and continuously after the last election cycle.

“I told them I needed more time,” he explained. “Leadership must be accepted with proper readiness.”

After the 2023 elections, community members again pressed him to move beyond radio work and broaden his service to the district. Kwabo said he hesitated, citing financial limitations, but the community insisted they were prepared to mobilize on his behalf.

Their seriousness became clear during his recent birthday celebration in Borkeza.

During the celebration, citizens mobilized without T-shirts, inducements, or political influence, contributing:

• L$236,000 (two hundred thirty-six thousand Liberian dollars)

• 150 kilos of clean rice

• Farm produce

• Several meaningful gifts

Kwabo described these contributions as more than birthday gifts.

“They were a continuation of the message they have expressed for more than a decade,” he said.

Since February, citizens have also maintained a community account where they contribute monthly toward supporting a leadership transition in 2029. Kwabo noted that the level of sacrifice and organization demonstrates a clear community mandate for change.

Addressing critics who argued his declaration came too early or should have followed a formal petition ceremony, Kwabo stated:

“A petition is meaningful when it represents genuine community desire. In our case, the people have already demonstrated their intent through twelve years of conversations, continuous mobilization, and financial and material contributions.”

He said waiting for a staged petition “would not have been honest” and would have disrespected the community’s sacrifices.

Kwabo emphasized that announcing his decision in Borkeza, the community where he grew up, was intentional and symbolic.

“It would have been disrespectful to delay an answer in the very community where I was born, raised, and educated. They deserved clarity.”

He added that his decision was not driven by pressure but by responsibility, gratitude, and respect for the citizens who have believed in his leadership for more than twelve years.

Kwabo’s declaration speech ended with a reaffirmation of his dedication to Lofa County District #5: “My declaration for 2029 acknowledges their efforts and honors the confidence they continue to place in me and in the future of Lofa County District Five.”

As 2029 approaches, Kwabo is expected to be one of the most closely watched young candidates in Lofa County, driven by a strong grassroots base and his long-standing message: