ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024, Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Secretary General Jefferson Koijee led a CDC delegation to the Township of West Point to officially launch the awareness campaign of the party’s up-coming National Dollar Rally, which he said will commensurate with the birthday celebration of the party’s Political Leader, George Manneh Weah, on October 1, 2024, but, according to the CDC Secretary General, they were denied having the event on the sports pitch, arguably the only open space in that densely populated area.
HENCE, SECRETARY GENERAL Koijee accused the Unity Party government, specifically the Internal Affairs Minister, Francis Sakila Nyumalin, of giving instructions to the leadership of the Township of West Point to deny the CDC from using the soccer pitch constructed by former President George Manneh Weah. Speaking over the weekend, Koijee said the Unity Party government is looking for trouble, but they will not take the law into their own hands.
WHILE SECRETARY GENERAL Koijee’s assurance of commitment to law and order is welcomed in the nurture of the nation’s growing democracy, the series of confrontations with the government, from the denial of President George Manneh Weah from using the executive lounge at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) at the inception of the Unity Party (UP) government to the most recent Liberia National Police (LNP) raid on the surroundings of the CDC headquarters in Congo Town, is raising concern among stakeholders.
IN A THREE-PAGE letter to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Omar Alieu Turay, ex-President Weah had stated that the premeditated and callous act of violence targeted at the country’s main opposition political party was the latest in a series of actions by the Boakai administration to trample upon political freedoms, disregard the laws of the land, undermine democracy and stoke tension in the country.
“EXCELLENCY, OVER THE past few years, our region has witnessed a marked rollback of democratic, constitutional rule leading to various setbacks. In view of this, ECOWAS must now engage in proactive diplomatic interventions in countries such as Liberia to ensure that our fledgling democracy is not sacrificed by the misuse of power by the current regime.
“MAY I ITERATE that, in the wake of the statement by President Boakai to some legislators that he will erase the CDC from the political map of Liberia, we make it abundantly clear that the party is here to stay and will continue to remain a vibrant political force. In the face of such grave threats from the President followed by multiple nefarious actions against our very God-given right to exist, all can be assured that we the CDC will utilize every right guaranteed by the Constitution to ensure that we are not erased.
“WE IMPLORE YOU to convey this to the Boakai administration; that as we strive to maintain the peace of the country, we will not tolerate our rights being abused. While the CDC has ostensibly demonstrated its utmost regard for the maintenance of the hard-earned peace and respect for the rule of law, as was displayed recently through a peaceful transfer of power, we refuse to sit idly by and watch these transgressions persist. Currently, following the ill-fated raid at our headquarters, the government has detained scores of our partisans and other citizens at the Monrovia Central Prison on trumped up charges. We demand their immediate and unconditional release.”