Activist Obadiah VanjahKollie writes 
Following the responses to my recent post, both public and private, a few comrades raised concerns, especially regarding my reference to the Southeast as having six counties instead of five. Let me start by saying this: yes, if we are looking strictly through a geographical or administrative lens, the Southeast officially includes five counties.
That is an ironclad fact. But the context of my post wasn’t just geography, it was political, demographic, and to some extent, cultural. That’s where River Cess comes in.
By the map, the five southeastern counties are Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, Sinoe, and Grand Kru. No argument there. But River Cess, which borders Grand Bassa, Nimba, and Sinoe, is often included in southeastern discussions, and for good reason.
Even though it is technically located in south-central Liberia, River Cess shares strong cultural ties (particularly among Kru-speaking communities that stretch across the region), common development challenges, and political alignment.
In fact, River Cess was carved out of Grand Bassa, reinforcing its central classification.
But culturally, developmentally, and politically, it has a lot in common with the Southeast.
For instance, since 2024, River Cess has been part of the Southeast Regional Network of Community Land Development and Management Committees (SRN‑CLDMC), working alongside the five southeastern counties to address shared land rights issues under the 2018 Land Rights Act.
Click the link and read: https://www.modernghana.com/…/cldmcs-recounts-positive….
So, while River Cess may not be located deep in the Southeast, its inclusion in regional conversations is based on lived realities, shared struggles, common development concerns, and cultural bonds, not just lines on a map. That’s why I included it.
Now, whether we count River Cess or not, the core point I made still holds: the Southeast (excluding River Cess) is more populous than Nimba.
Again, according to the 2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census, the five southeastern counties together have a population of 774,423, while Nimba has 621,841, a difference of 152,582 people in favor of the Southeast. These are official figures from LISGIS.
However, when we shift the focus to voter registration, and again, we exclude River Cess to keep the comparison consistent, the picture changes.
According to the NEC 2023 Registered Voters data, Nimba has 307,254 registered voters, while the five southeastern counties combined have 267,324.
That’s a difference of 39,930 more voters in Nimba’s favor, despite the Southeast having over 150,000 more people. That’s the contradiction we need to pay attention to. How does Nimba that is 152,582 less populous than the five southeastern counties combined, have more registered voters? What could possibly explain this?
In my last post, I asked a few critical questions that remain relevant:
1. Was voter registration in the Southeast affected by logistical problems, low turnout, or poor outreach?
2. Does the Southeast have a significantly younger population, with many people under 18 and therefore not eligible to vote?
3. Or, as some critics suggest, were the census numbers in the Southeast inflated for political reasons, especially given the region’s strong support for the ruling CDC?
None of these questions are far-fetched. They reflect real concerns, and they are the reasons we are having this conversation in the first place.
So yes, geographically, River Cess is south-central. But culturally, politically, and developmentally, its story is tied to the Southeast. And whether we count it or not, the central point remains: the Southeast is more populous than Nimba.
Let us keep asking questions and pushing for clarity, because these numbers don’t just affect statistics.
They shape how resources are shared, how decisions are made, and how fair our democratic process really is.
