Liberia: Citizens Warn Politicians against Voter Trucking As NEC Carries Out Voter Registration
Monrovia – As the National Election Commission (NEC) conducts the voter registration process, there have been calls from many Liberians, warning political aspirants to refrain the act of trucking people from one district to another to register.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)-[email protected]
Just in day-two of the registration process, voter trucking is already visible in some areas.
On Monday, FrontPageAfrica observed a full bus trying to disembark its passengers near the J. L. Gibson school on Gurley Street, Central Monrovia where registration was ongoing. However, because of the resistance from people who where already in the queue, the bus drove away toward the Gurley and UN Drive intersection. FPA further observed that the occupants alighted and walked to New Port Street High School where they registered.
The biometric voter registration for the October presidential and general elections started in Montserrado County on the 20th of March and it is expected to last until April 9 for people in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Gbarpolu, Margibi and Montserrado counties.
Since the start of the registration process, there have been reports of voters trucking in several registration centers by politicians who are said to be contesting in the pending October election. FrontPageAfrica has been soliciting views of citizens on voter trucking.
George Kiadii is a resident of Montserrado County District #14. He did his voter registration on the first day of the voter registration process in Montserrado County District #14.
Kiadii told FrontPageAfrica that the act of politicians trucking people is not only bad but against the will of the people who are currently residing in the district.
“I do not support it today, I do not support it tomorrow,” Kiadii said.
He added: “It causes a district to get a bad representative. If you abandon your district and truck to a different district because of little of nothing and you vote for people who are not good, tomorrow the people start complaining you will be the cause, it will not be good.”
According to Kiadii, politicians who are engaging in such do not mean well for Liberia. He added that politicians should rather be telling the people the work they have done than to be involved in trucking voters something he has the propensity to cause chaos.
He further said: “To those politicians that are trucking people, they want to cause chaos in our country. If the people in your district like you, you should not truck people. If you have done well for the people, let your work speaks for you.”
Kiadii continued: “Mostly to the incumbent lawmakers if you made six years in power and you believe in yourself that the people love you and you have done well in your district, there is no need for you to truck people, your work will speak for you.”
Nancy Kollie a resident of Montserrado County District #7. She was seen with her voter registration card after spending more than three hours in the long queue, she says.
Madam Kollie told FPA that her vote is her power and she is going to use said power to effect what she termed as a positive change.
Madam Kollie added: “I’m calling on all well-meaning Liberians to remain in your district and register. Your vote is your power. On October 10, you will have the power to make your decision and that decision should affect you and another person”
Voters Trucking Reported in Grand Bassa County
Also, another voter trucking incident was reported in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County involving incumbent Lawmaker Representative Mathew Joe.
A post made by Togar Alexander Bealded on social media alleged that the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) District #3 Representative in Grand Bassa County was using the bus to take people to his district to register.
“Imagine a lawmaker Rep. Matthew Joe of Buchanan is using his bus to the truck. This is very unfortunate. These people become so desperate for power till they do anything to remain in power,” Bealded posted.
He promised to tag some NEC authorities in his post adding that Representative Joe was openly trucking without any remorse or caution.
“For me, I see this as a complete disrespect to the people of Buchanan District. Bringing thousands of strangers to our district out of desperation is so unacceptable. Let the people of our district decide who they want. Job creation, electricity, and empowerment of youth and women remain key issues and strangers would not know as all they care about is what goes into their pockets, we feel the pinch and we must decide,” he said.
NTA Bus Reportedly Damaged by Angry Citizens Because of Voters Trucking
Also, it was reported on the second day of the voter registration that angry citizens against voters trucking damaged one of the buses belonging to the National Transit Authority (NTA) bearing plate number B-30510 at Brewerville Store outside the capital of Monrovia.
According to the Journalist Meloshe Roberts of Pumah FM, about 200 persons were onboard the NTA bus as it was heading to Bomi County to form part of the voter registration process in that part of the country.
Also, it was reported on the second day of voter registration that some aggrieved citizens have organized themselves from Suehn Mecca and are currently in Dissikla Town preventing huge trucking into their District.