Monrovia – Former President George Manneh Weah has formally reported the Boakai-Koung administration’s “unprovoked attack” on the headquarters of his political party, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
On Thursday, August 22, a drug raid conducted by joint security forces near the CDC’s national headquarters in Monrovia escalated into violence when police clashed with CDC partisans.
Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
In a letter addressed to Omar Alieu Turay, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Weah, on behalf of the CDC, Weah urged ECOWAS to take proactive diplomatic steps to ensure that Liberia’s fledgling democracy is not jeopardized by the current administration’s misuse of power.
He called for ECOWAS’s intervention to secure the release of partisans and other Liberians who were arrested and detained at the Monrovia Central Prison.
“Following the ill-fated raid at our headquarters, the government has detained scores of our partisans and other citizens on trumped-up charges. We demand their immediate and unconditional release,” Weah stated.
He criticized the raid, which he said was carried out by Liberian security forces “under the dubious guise of a drug raid,” describing it as a “premeditated and callous act of violence” targeting the country’s main opposition party. He further accused the Boakai administration of attempting to undermine political freedoms, disregard the rule of law, and stoke tension in the country.
Weah noted that a similar incident occurred on August 5, 2024, when heavily armed security forces breached the CDC headquarters. He claimed that these actions are part of a broader strategy by President Joseph Boakai to diminish the CDC’s political influence.
“During the attack on Thursday, reminiscent of our troubled past, the police fired hundreds of lethal and non-lethal rounds at unarmed civilians whose only ‘crime’ seems to be their unwavering support for the CDC,” Weah alleged.
He added various government security agencies have given conflicting accounts of the raid’s purpose, which he believes indicates an attempt to cover up their true motives.
Weah also highlighted that civil servants perceived to sympathize with the CDC are being harassed and purged from the civil service. Since Weah began openly criticizing the Boakai-Koung administration, the CDC has intensified its scrutiny of the government, accusing it of using excessive force against peaceful protesters.
Weah outlined these accusations in his letter to the ECOWAS President, citing other transgressions, including the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians, non-prosecution of election-related killings, disregard for tenure laws, political weaponization of prosecutorial powers, and violations of procurement laws.
He emphasized that while the CDC has demonstrated its commitment to peace and the rule of law, as evidenced by its peaceful transfer of power, the party and its supporters will not remain passive in the face of these transgressions.
Weah warned that President Boakai and his administration are under the illusion that they have an overwhelming mandate to govern as they wish, but true power rests with the people, not with a government that operates outside the law.
“All stakeholders with knowledge of the Liberian situation have expressed concern over how deeply divided the country remains following the hard-fought presidential election. A well-meaning and supposedly ‘experienced’ leader would prioritize reconciling the nation. Unfortunately, this is not the case with President Boakai, who seems to have been overtaken by absolute power,” Weah wrote.
As a longtime political actor in Liberia, Weah stressed President Boakai should be fully aware of the vices that have previously brought the nation to its knees. He called for leadership that respects democracy and the rule of law, rather than leading the charge against them.
“In light of President Boakai’s statement to some legislators that he intends to erase the CDC from Liberia’s political map, we make it abundantly clear that our party is here to stay and will continue to be a vibrant political force. We will utilize every right guaranteed by the constitution to ensure our survival,” Weah declared.
He also called on ECOWAS to convey this message to the Boakai administration and stressed that while the CDC is committed to maintaining peace, it will not tolerate the abuse of its rights.
