In this blog, Liberian-Dutch author Vamba Sherif tells us about the Liberian transportation sector through his eyes. Mr. Sherif's debut novel Het Land van de Vaders, about the founding of Liberia, was published in 1999. The English version of the novel, Land of my fathers, was published in 2016. This was followed with a detective novel Bound to Secrecy, which is about the use and abuse of power in a dysfunctional society. He has written five novels, which have been published in many languages, including French, German, Spanish, Polish and the Indian language Malayalam. Additionally, Mr. Sherif has written for The New York Times, The French magazine Long Cours, the German magazine Kultur Aaustauch, and for various Dutch newspapers and magazines like Trouw, De Volkskrant, One World, and many others.

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Transportation is the bedrock of every economy. For emerging markets such as those of Liberia, transportation is essential in driving the country forward. For as long as I can remember, Liberia has struggled with means of transportation. The roads are terrible, especially during rainy seasons when they are flooded and the potholes make movements difficult. The first time I travelled to Monrovia by car, I was ten years old. The journey lasted a week, not because the distance was long, but because of the road condition. We had to stop after only a few hours, for our car had broken down or had stuck in the soggy mud. Hours of pushing the car with the help of villagers would see us on our way again. At one point, one of the tires burst, and the driver who did not have a spare tire had to cover a long distance by foot to the next village to repair the tire. As we waited on the roadside for the driver to return, I wished and dreamed that one day I would be able to contribute to improving transportation and the road condition in Liberia.

As we waited on the roadside for the driver to return, I wished and dreamed that one day I would be able to contribute to improving transportation and the road condition in Liberia.

In Liberia, drivers such as ours that day, rely on ingenuity to survive. It takes a good car to last a year or two on the road. Clever ideas are needed to address the issues posed by these dire situations.  Most drivers earn a living by being paid on a monthly basis, for they lack the means to purchase their own cars. Owning a vehicle, even a motorbike or a kekeh is a luxury. And the cars, motorbikes or kekehs are often not long lasting. 

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A viable alternative could be electric cars, which is not affordable for many people. That’s why I welcome initiatives such as those by Emergi to build and make kekehs affordable for the Liberian drivers in particular and West African drivers in general. It’s a clever and ingenious project. The kekeh, one of the most popular means of transportation in Liberia, will run on electric power. This project does not only contribute to energy efficiency, but it helps to improve the climate. From what I have learned, an electric kekeh lasts longer than one that runs on gasoline. Moreover, it is estimated that the drivers will be able to pay back the full prize of the kekeh within a year on the road, and that each kekeh has a lifespan of five years. That would enable drivers not only able to pay fully for the vehicle but to own it and to build on their ownership. This  contributes to their independence, which is a sure way of improving the Liberian economy.

This is why the project by Emergi is so important. Postwar Liberia needs clever ideas to push it forward into the future. Electric kekehs and the possibilities they offer are one of those ingenious means. Their presence on the Liberian roads are welcome. They are a means of realizing my childhood dream.