MONROVIA – Plenary of the Liberian Senate has instructed its Committees on Judiciary, Defense & Security and Elections to probe last Saturday’s bloody electoral campaign violence in Montserrado County District 13.
Report by Henry Karmo [email protected]
The Senate Plenary decision was a result of a communication written by Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, claiming that she was caught in the exchange of stone throw between supporters of the tripartite candidate and supporters of the ruling party’s candidate.
The Liberty Party which is headed by Senator Lawrence is part of the tripartite arrangement which also includes the Unity Party and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) backing Mrs. Cornelia Krua-Togba of the Unity Party in the District 13 race.
According to Sen. Lawrence, Cornelia’s supporters were parading in the Gardnersville Community when they saw a group of supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and Jefferson Koijee, Mayor of Monrovia City marching towards them. This, she said, prompted the throwing of stones towards the Mayor Koijee and his men. In response, according to her, Koijee’s group pulled cutlasses and brutalized supporters of candidate Cornelia.
Sen. Lawrence: “They surrounded my vehicle, but fortunately, residents of the community came to my rescue and took me to a secure location. Distinguished colleagues, I panicked for myself and the crowd especially the children who were escaping the chaotic scene caused by the major of the City of Monrovia.”
“I was a hostage for about two hours before being escorted by the community dwellers to my vehicle. As a result of the pandemonium and mayhem, we had to use the back road to escape the scene. Pro-Temp and distinguished colleagues, I wish to request an inquiry into this matter which has the propensity to undermine the peace and stability of the country,” she requested.
The Grand Bassa County Senator also raised concern about the presence of Mayor koijee at a political rally which she said is a violation of the Code of Conduct of the Republic of Liberia.
However, Section 5.10 of the National Code of Conduct says, “Every Employee of Government shall ensure that his or her participation in political activities does not bring him or her in conflict with official duties.”
In an earlier interview with FPA, Koijee explained: “I had to move in because my responsibility in the campaign was to make sure I mobilize our supporters and I heard some of our supporters were stranded in that area where Cornelia’s people had set up road blocks so there was no way for them to reach to us. This is how I told my people, ‘Let’s go and see how best we can get them to join us. Immediately Cornelia’s people saw us, without asking, they started throwing stones.”
He lamented that what was intended to be peaceful ended up being violent, noting that such is not a good sign for the country’s democracy.
He challenged his accusers to show proof that he or any of his followers were carrying guns or machetes as being alleged by them.
He lamented that what was intended to be peaceful ended up being violent, noting that such is not a good sign for the country’s democracy.
He challenged his accusers to show proof that he or any of his followers were carrying guns or machetes as being alleged by them.
CDC Chairman: We’ll Sue Sen. Lawrence
The Chairman of the ruling Coalition of Democratic Change Mulbah Morlu, Jr., on Sunday described the allegations made against the Coalition and Koijee as ‘lies’ and threatened lawsuit against Cornelia and Senator Lawrence for defamation.
“What was surprising is, for the Standard Bearer of a party that is supposed to be a respectable political institution, to join the bandwagons of lies and the invention of fallacies; that Senator Lawrence who happens to be the Standard Bearer of the Liberty Party, will go public, in serving falsehood and distorting facts, to the extent that she is deliberately lying, saying, CDCians were seen wielding machetes and cutlasses going against innocent people yesterday is unfortunate, reprehensible, and should be condemned by all well-meaning Liberians,” he said.
According to Morlu, the CDC will take the Liberty Party Standard Bearer and sitting to court in order for her to produce evidence and provide facts relating to the allegations made against his party.
“First and foremost, it is important for us to stress that no member of the CDC yesterday, be it at the rally, or out of the rally, in private or secret, yesterday paraded or walked around holding cutlasses. And we are challenging the Liberty Party to come out and contradict this fact,” he challenged.
The Liberia National Police over the weekend refuted reports that one person died as a result of the violence.
“The situation left four persons, three males and one female injured. The injured victims were immediately rushed to the Kevin Clinic in Bassa Town, New Georgia and the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital respectively for treatment after which they were discharged,” the police said in a statement over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the LNP has launched an active investigation to ensure that perpetrators of such violence are made to face the full weight of the law.