ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2023 the CDC had the approval to be in districts #9 and #10, but their crowd unfortunately bumped into those from the Unity Party (UP) and Montserrado County’s district #10 independent candidate and incumbent Representative, Yekeh Kolubah, who had gone to carry out separate campaign activities. This resulted into one of the early marks of campaign violence, although the Liberia National Police (LNP) has warned that individuals and groups engaging in election violence will be delt with in accordance with the law.
THE CDC, LED by their Standard Bearer and President of the Republic of Liberia, George Manneh Weah, was headed to district #9 when they met on the way a UP crowd awaiting the arrival of their Standard Bearer, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, at the Vamoma intersection. Ambassador Boakai was expected to hold an in-door press conference to announce his full campaign team for the 2023 election yesterday at the UP’s national campaign headquarters, Airfield; as such, UP partisans and supporters had come out to await him at the intersection to escort him to the venue. Unfortunately, while there, the CDC crowd arrived and tension mounted between the two groups.
ACCORDING TO INFORMATION, a number of persons were reportedly injured from both sides and taken to separate clinics. As a result, the Unity Party announced a postponement of their event due to the unexpected disruption and blockade of the road, which could have obstructed Ambassador Boakai from getting to the venue on time.
ONE OF THE major reasons for this is that campaign has begun without an approved timetable for everyone contesting for the representative, senatorial and presidential elections. An insider from the National Elections Commission (NEC) said the election body is not responsible to draw up schedules for the election contestants; instead, the contestants and their political parties are supposed to submit their campaign schedules for NEC’s approval.
THE SOURCE INFORMED the Hot Pepper that many of the presidential candidates have submitted their schedules, which have been approved accordingly. However, the schedules of the representative and senatorial candidates are yet to be received. Apparently, the source said, some of the candidates may have submitted their schedules to their respective county magistrates, but they are yet to reach the NEC’s Political Affairs Department.