Monrovia – A group, under the banner team MUKA in support of the representative bid of Kerkulah Muka Kamara has accused Montserrado County electoral District #14 Representative Abraham V. Corneh of instigating electoral violence and injuring two of its members.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
Representative Corneh however denied the allegations, terming it as a mere tactic intended to obscure the facts.
Kerkulah Muka Kamara is one of several candidates vying to replace incumbent representative Corneh at the polls on October 10, 2017.
In a press statement read by the Chairman, Michael Tipayson on September 26, the group alleged that on the orders of Rep. Corneh, his supporters attacked and wounded their colleagues, Dominic Dalieh and Jerome D. Thompson, and physically humiliated their Chairman, Michael Tipayson while on a campaign trail on Sunday, September 24, 2017 in Doe Community.
“Team MUKA sees Hon. Corneh physical attack in the wake of our upcoming official campaign launch (September 30, 2017) as a distraction.”
“But his action further justifies one of our propositions that Hon. Corneh is visionless and misguided. Team MUKA remains committed to a violence free election and peaceful democratic transition,” the group asserted.
During the press conference, Tipayson, who was flanked by Dominic and Thompson with bruises on their faces, noted that peace is everything to the smooth survivability of the human race, but it has never been maintained at the detriment and continuous disadvantage of a particular generation.
He called on key players in the electoral process including the National Elections Commission, the Liberia National Police and the international community to intervene in stopping the growing wave of electoral violence in Montserrado County District #14.
Denying the allegation, Representative Corneh termed it as a mere tactic intended to hide the truth, adding that it was Tipayson and his group who instigated the violence and ransacked his business and private areas while he was on his campaign activities in the district.
“A few days ago, we were out on a campaign tour, unfortunately for me, while in Clara Town, we got the news that Michael Tipayson and others led a team in my private business area, they damaged my car, posters; and went to my residence, they threw stones and banged on my doors causing lots of damage,” he explained.
He contended that as a lawmaker, he is cognizant of the implications of electoral violence and as such he cannot be the perpetrator of any act that has the propensity to obstruct the electoral process and cause chaos.
He noted that he was not at war with any of his opponents including Mr. Kamara; accusing Tipayson and his group of constantly harassing his supporting verbally and physically.
He then blamed the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the Liberia National Police (LNP) for their failure to punish those involved in violating the electoral laws and instigating violence.