Zoe Pennue Linked To Criminal Gang?

Grand Gedeh County Rep. Zoe Pennue - Is he linked to criminal gang?

A Grand Gedean social justice advocate Jackson Zleh Towah has raised suspicion that it is likely that Grand Gedeh Representative Zoe Emmanuel Pennue may be linked to a criminal gang that might be responsible for the killing of seven UN troops and two Ivorian security forces on June 7, 2012 in a cross border attack.

Mr. Towah named two individuals with alleged shady backgrounds who are said to be business partners of Mr. Pennue. The individuals were identified as Yusuf Ibrahim, an Algerian, and Ali Hasan Khwaja a Yemini from the Arabian Peninsula, specifically Yemen.

Our editor placed calls to Rep. Pennue twice but his phone rang and he did not pick up. His political campaign preparation team is yet to react to the allegation.

Read the full text of Mr. Towah’s unedited article below:

Indispensable Partner: Liberia Representative Or Al-Qaeda Operative
By Jackson Zleh Towah

Politics of National Security is a dangerous gimmick for a country in transition. The Government of Liberia in its first official statement on the cross-border attacks said it knew the attackers that killed seven United Nations Peacekeepers and a score of Ivorians.

Liberian Government needs to open their eyes on Grand Gedeh Representative Zoe Emmanuel Pennue, and the United States needs to act swiftly before the Mano River basin becomes a safe haven to emerging Al Qaeda operatives in sub-Saharan Africa targeting western interest under the guise of doing business in a tense border region with officials of government. What happened in Mali may most likely happen in the Mano River basin if the region is left unattended & unchecked.

On Tuesday October 30, 2012 while en-route to Paris, France, Zoe Emmanuel Pennue met with Yusuf Ibrahim (Algerian), & another fellow from the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen) by the name of Ali Hasan Khwaja (Yemini) in suburban Abidjan township of Youpogon under the guise that they were his business partners. Yusuf Ibrahim & Ali Hasan Khwaja are believed to be close associates of Benjamin Yeaten (Liberian) a notorious criminal wanted by the Government of Liberia.

Does Zoe Pennue have a business outside of Liberia that we don't know about, or could these gentlemen be the attackers who coordinated and executed the attack against United Nations Mission in a KGB style of operation without a trace? Zoe Emmanuel Pennue is using the Grand Gedeans/Liberians imprisoned to cover up his so-called business partners’ presence in the sub-region. There is a sense of urgency, if not a sense of deja vu for "citizen arrest."

Name: Dagobert Banzio
Position: Member of Parliament, Ivory Coast
Date of Birth: June 21, 1957
Place of Birth: Tinhou, Ivory Coast
Tribe: Krahn
Party: PDCI
Education: Political Science

Name: Zoe Emmanuel Pennue
Position: Member of parliament, Liberia
Date of Birth: Unknown
Place of Birth: Tuzon, Liberia
Tribe: Krahn
Party: Independent
Education: 4th Grade

LIBERIA: ZOE PENNUE & BLOOD MONEY

Grand Gedeans at home & overseas are disoriented as to who is behind the ruckus arrest & detention of several of its citizens; many of whom are former combatants. Here in Washington, Grand Gedeans have peacefully demonstrated at the Liberia Embassy under the leadership of Fred Gwyan. At the United Nations in New York, young Grand Gedeans & Liberians alike took to the streets surrounding the United Nations Headquarters; among the demonstrators was Celue Doe, the daughter of the late Liberian President Samuel K. Doe.

Liberia can only climb out of the pit of "blame games" if national interest can outclass or surpass tribal loyalty. In the early phase of the detention of 29 citizens from Grand Gedeh County, Grand Gedeans believe that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the invisible hand behind the arrest & detention; but the shocking truth came with a revelation from Senator Isaac Nyenabo, an insider from "Tuzon" the hometown of the late President Samuel Doe.

"Senator Nyanebo offensive move against Representative Pennue has continued unabated which requires the immediate intervention of the elders and chiefs of the county. His revelation started yesterday during a press conference when he disclosed that Representative Zoe was a paid agent of the Ivorian government monitoring activities of the Liberian government as it relates to the border crises by which both countries are being threatened. Please read full text below.

http://www.inprofiledaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7851%3Astartling-revelation-in-grand-gedeh-senator-axes-down-representative-&catid=1%3Aheadlines&Itemid=56

Inasmuch as I don't agreed with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf policies on National Security & Judiciary Failure; she may not be responsible for the imprisonment of the 29 Grand Gedeans currently held by the Government of Liberia, rather the people of Grand Gedeh County must hold Zoe Emmanuel Pennue responsible for the imprisonment of their children.

Grand Gedeh County lacks the balance mechanisms that curbs hypocrisy, and invite honesty. Grand Gedeans are in the business of blaming others for our failures. It is my intention to write an open letter concerning this matter; which she may have used to her advantage.

Any reasonable Grand Gedeans with a sense of direction will tell you that Grand Gedeans betrayal of their Mandingoes ally during the course of the Liberian civil war defined us as a "unique tribal community." I mean, the krahn and the Mandingoes were fighting against Charles Taylor. Not So? when they came together to form "the council of State," Grand Gedeans intentionally betrayed their Mandingoes' ally and voted for the NPFL representative ( Isaac Messer). The outcome created military vibration and we paid the price with the lives of our young men. So many young Grand Gedeans died in the process, including my friends and family members.

I don't want to overwhelm you with information you may already know, but it is necessary to look back into history to correct the future. Haven't it been for the death of Elizabeth Pennue, the krahn people billionaire (Zoe Pennue) wasn't going to bring his mother (Old-Lady Tenseo) back from the refugee camp in Ghana to Monrovia, Liberia. Additionally, Tuzon has no electricity, but yet, Zoe Pennue has promised Pouh Town electricity. Tuzon has no elementary school, not to mention childcare, and yet, Zoe is promising villages in Grand Gedeh schools. It is also my hope and prayer that Zoe Pennue will start attending "night school classes" soon.

Many Grand Gedeans both at home & overseas believed that Zoe Emmanuel Pennue has cash to spread, but the interesting truth remains: Zoe Pennue doesn't has a business, the only source of income is his salary as a member of parliament. Liberian lawmakers earn less than two thousand dollars ($ 2,000.00) a month. The lawmaker (Zoe Pennue) monthly expenditures exceed $10,000.00 USD. Where is he getting the extra cash from is a forbidden question to ask in Grand Gedeh County.

In conclusion & beyond comparison, if Zoe Pennue and others are left unchecked the National Security interests of Liberia & the United States alike will be threatened if not hamper. Watch out for our Letter to the France Embassy for the removal of Zoe Pennue's family from Paris France.

P-II: Grand Gedeh Senatorial Aspirants: What’s In Their Briefcases?

Top L-R: Sen. Isaac Nyenabo, Rep. Zoe Pennue and Mr. William K. Glay, Sr.
Bottom: Mr. Samuel K. Doe Jr. and Mr. Edward Slanger

By Gibson W. Jerue
 
“Tuzon Dynasty” and Fragmentation Gedeh
A land mass of 10, 276 square kilometer accommodating 132, 638 people is not a lot considering the country’s population of 3.6 million. The woes are even compounded when all of the number is not a voting strength. But for the people of Grand Gedeh County, no matter how small that number, they can and will choose their leaders. At this time, with eight months to go, Grand Gedeh’s senior senatorial position is up for grab and will be declared vacant like the rest of the 14 political sub-divisions by July next year.

Eleven sons and a daughter are poised; some have declared their intention and others are yet to accept petitions from their kinsmen to enter the race. The race is crowded like one senior Grand Gedeans told me recently. Crowded but not crowing, and the fragmentation continues; it seems everyone remains upbeat and confidence. What remains a glaring attention is what some refer to these days as the “Tuzon Dynasty” bringing head-on five of Tuzon’s sons. We will discuss the Tuzon factor in this piece and focus on the fragmentation in our subsequent article.

Growling Tuzon
A town where a former president is born is certainly prone to being politically conscious. And Tuzon is just that. With the name of former President Samuel Kanyon Doe tagged on the town – some call it village – folks here are fired up to step into the fray. They are doing just that, even long after the slain president visited with the ancestors.

Isaac Nyenabo, a Tuzonite, is the current senior senator of Grand Gedeh. He has occupied this seat for eight years now. But his days of glory hang in the balance – that he may be booted out by one of his Tuzonites or one of the several other aspirants eyeing his position. Isaac knows the challenge and he feels it too.

Nothing is more worrying for a man than when his brothers are at his throat. Well, it’s not his throat but sitting in his gut and stuffing him with “government farina”. Five men, including Mr. Nyenabo are among the now 12 aspirants for a single seat, comes 2014.

Mr. William K. Glay, Sr. is being petitioned to enter the race. According to his admirers, he performed well when he served as representative of the county during the Samuel Doe regime. They say he has contacts and is resourceful, in addition to what they called his philanthropic gestures to students, etc. William is yet to respond to the petition. But comes November 23rd in Philadelphia, Friends of William Glay will converge to “give his flowers”, maybe it is there and then that he will give his formal response. We will be looking specifically at his pros et cons in subsequent articles.

Another son of Tuzon who has been petitioned but has not responded is Samuel K. Doe, Jr. He is the son of the man who raised Tuzon’s name from the ashes of oblivion to a towering limelight. Although he was a child when his father administered the affairs of state, this young man is not only a photocopy of his father genetically; he is ready to enter politics. Recently he traveled to Liberia to assess the ground and he is akin to accepting the petition requesting, or should I say, demanding him to enter the senatorial race. Most Liberians had thought the Glays and Does were related by blood, but it is the contrary – they are not related.

The new comer is the man who is credited to the arrest and execution of Thomas Quiwonkpa. Since the day Quiwonkpa fell to him, his name rose from mediocrity to prominence. He is Edward Slanger. Recently, gossips had it that he had told SKD, Jr. that he would withdraw if the younger Doe was entering the race. But very reliable information has it that Slanger is sharpening his political spears to anchor his tentacles. Where does that leave the early gossip, your guess is as good as mine.

But the most potent challenge that Isaac Nyenabo is to face will come from his cousin Zoe Emmanuel Pennue. Before coming to the United States, Zoe told me at his residence that he would not contest senatorial seat if Isaac Nyenabo was still interested. “He is my own brother. I can’t go against him,” Zoe told me. But the leaf has turned and this is not 2008. Mr. Pennue is so far the only person from Tuzon who has openly declared his intention to oust Nyenabo. In fact, Zoe’s pre-campaign activities are scaring the hell out of his would-be opponents. He is currently the representative of the populous district in Grand Gedeh – Tchien.

Apart from Glay, the rest are said to be related. Zoe is SKD, Jr’s first cousin, so is he cousin of Isaac and distant cousin of Slanger. So then, four brothers at punching each other and are also going to be punching jointly the man who gets his flower this month – William Glay. Where does that leave the rest of Grand Gedeh?

Part 1: Grand Gedeh Senatorial Contenders: What’s In Their Briefcases?

Top L-R; Sen. Isaac Nyenabo, Rep. Zoe Pennue and Mr. Marshall Dennis.
Middle: Mr. George Dweh, Madam Cecelia Towah, Mr. Samuel Doe, Jr., and Charles Breeze.
Bottom: George Boley, Cyrus Cooper (no pic), Thomas Yaya Nimely and William Glay

By Gibson W. Jerue
 

The premise
By July 2014 the National Election Commission will be hosting a nation-wide election for 15 senators. Like Grand Gedeh, created in 1963, is quite a big county with 10, 276 square kilometer. The County has three districts – Tchien, Gbarzon and Konobo. Grand Gedeh’s population is put at 132, 638 but not all are registered voters. This number includes men women and children. For electoral purpose some 11 people will be vying for the county’s senior senatorial seat, seeking to boot out the man who has sat in that seat for nearly eight years – Isaac Nyenabo.

Tchien District is the smallest with 2,028 km2 land mass but with the highest population density placed at 65,130 people. There is good reason for that. Zwedru which is the capital city of the county alone has 23, 903 people living there with 11, 828 male and 12, 075 female, according to research. This is the District that Zoe Emmanuel Pennue represents.

Gbarzon District is the second most populated with 41, 203 people. But it is the second biggest District with the land mass of 4, 048 square kilometer. Although not all of its population is a voting member, most people see this as a plus. That means political campaign here must be huge if anybody should win the 2014 senatorial election for the County. This is the district that Alex Chesia Grant represents.

The biggest District in Grand Gedeh is the Konobo Statutory District. It has 4,200 square kilometer land mass. However, this big land has the least number of Grand Gedeans living it. The District has the population of 26,305. This is the district that Morias Waylee represents.

Now that we have laid the premise, and assuming that all our facts are right, let’s know how many people have the desire to challenge Senior Senator Isaac Nyenabo. But before that, why has Isaac’s position become a hot commodity? Does he have a chance? Why we prefer to look at his chances in subsequent articles, here are the names of those we already know who intend or have declared their intention to run for the 2014 senatorial seat for Grand Gedeh County:

With Mr. Nyenabo in mind, we have Thomas Yaya Nimely, George S. Boley, George Dweh, Marshall Dennis and Zoe E. Pennue. Others are Samuel Kanyon Dor, Jr., Cyrus Cooper, Cecelia Towah, Charles Breeze and William K. Glay.

Which one of these sons and daughter is best suited to represent the people of Grand Gedeh County? We will find out.
other counties, Grand Gedeh County is gearing up for October 2014 to elect a man or woman who would replace Senior Senator Isaac Nyenabo, who has served in that capacity for nearly eight years. Under the Liberian Constitution, a senior senator serves for nine years for the position to be declared vacant. Isaac Nyenabo’s position will be declared vacant in July as the NEC launches what it calls “Project Year”.