The Youth Chairman of Liberia’s ruling Unity Party (UP) in Nimba County, Samuel L. Kartee, has resigned from both the party and his leadership post, bringing to an end nearly 20 years of active service.
Kartee submitted his resignation on Thursday, September 10, addressed to UP Nimba County Chairman Nelson Beangar.
In his brief letter of resignation, Kartee said he stepped down because of “pressing family engagements.”
He thanked President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the Unity Party Leadership, colleagues, and members of the Nimba County Youth Congress for their support during his tenure, noting that he had served the party since 2005.
Kartee’s departure, however, has generated political speculation across Nimba County and within national party circles because of his well‑known alliance with Senator Samuel G. Kogar.
Kartee has long been regarded as a senior official and outspoken supporter of Senator Kogar, and political observers have linked his resignation to recent turmoil surrounding Senator Kogar’s standing in allied political groups.
Those suspicions intensified after the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), an alliance partner within the ruling coalition, expelled Senator Kogar earlier this month.
Less than two weeks after Senator Kogar’s removal, several MDR Executive Committee members reportedly resigned, a wave of departures that political analysts say points to internal fractures within the party alliance.
Despite the timing and Kartee’s political ties, his resignation letter makes no mention of Senator Kogar, the MDR, or any policy or political disagreement.
Instead, Kartee framed his decision as a personal one driven by family matters. Party insiders say Kartee’s statement was concise, aimed at avoiding public controversy.
Reactions in Nimba were mixed
Some local UP members expressed regret and praised Kartee’s years of service organizing youth activities, voter outreach and community programs across the county.
“Samuel was a fixture in our youth movement and played a key role in mobilizing support in many districts,” said one UP youth official who asked not to be named.
Opposition figures and independent commentators, meanwhile, described the resignation as another sign of shifting allegiances in the wake of recent expulsions and resignations within the MDR.
The Unity Party’s County Leadership has not yet announced an interim replacement for the youth chairmanship or outlined a timetable for choosing a new leader. Nelson Beangar, the UP Nimba County Chairman, acknowledged receipt of Kartee’s resignation but declined further comment pending consultations with national party offices.
Analysts say the coming days will be important for the ruling coalition in Nimba County.
If additional resignations or public departures follow, the party and its allied organizations could face challenges in maintaining unity ahead of local organizing and future elections.
For now, the UP must manage both the immediate administrative vacancy and the political fallout of recent splits in allied parties.
Background
Samuel L. Kartee first joined the Unity Party in 2005 and rose through youth structures to become Nimba County Youth Chairman.
During his tenure he coordinated voter education drives, youth mobilization projects and local outreach campaigns.
Senator Kogar, with whom Kartee is closely associated, has been a polarizing figure recently after his expulsion from the MDR, a move that prompted several resignations within that party’s leadership.
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