MONROVIA – The Rainbow Alliance, a conglomeration of registered political parties on October 29, 2022 held its first national convention at the Crown Hotels, Monrovia where some far-reaching decisions were made including the election of Mr. Reginald Goodridge, a former Minister of Information, as Standard Bearer to contest the 2023 general elections. Members of the Rainbow Alliance National Executive Committee were also elected to steer the affairs of the party for a specified period of time.
According to Madam Deanna Tulay Morris, National Secretary General, the delegates numbering some 600 members from across the country went through the election with the framework document as a guide wherein consensus in the election of the Standard Bearer, National Chairman and other National Executive Committee members was adopted, thus ensuring peace and harmony during the process. All the elected officials including the standard bearer went on white ballot.
Those elected included Reginald B. Goodridge, Sr., Standard Bearer; Cllr. Emmanuel A. Tulay, National Chairman, Nyah K.V. Vehyee, National Vice Chairman for Administration; Z. Kwaque Coleman, National Vice Chairman for Media and Propaganda; J. Liama Kammu, National Vice Chairman for Planning and Research, Steen O. Adam, National Vice Chairman for International Affairs; Joe K. Williams, National Vice Chairman for Political and Governmental Affairs; and Deanna Tulay Morris, National Secretary General.
Others are Daniel D. Boynah, National Assistant Secretary General for Finance; S. Barbington Coleman, National Treasurer; Dukuly S. Mambu, National Youth League Chairman; Hawa Johnson, National Women League Chairperson; Dominic Fiayah, National Youth League Vice Chairman for Operation and Mobilization; Neke Walters, National Women League Vice Chairperson for Administration; Musu N. Tulay, National Treasurer, Women League; and Rev. J. Betieor Coleman, National Chaplain General.
One of the highlights of the convention was the selection of Miss Precious Zarweah, a young high school graduate, who made history for the first time for a young person to address a national convention of a political party as a Keynote Speaker which according to the officials is in line with a key policy of youth empowerment of the Rainbow Party.
Ms Zarweah used the platform accorded her to lash out at officials of the Liberian government for being insensitive to the plight of the Liberian people. She noted that unless the current leaders of Liberia invest in the youths of Liberia, the future of the country is in jeopardy. She called on the leadership of the Rainbow Alliance to be serious as an opposition institution to correct the mistakes of the past as a means of becoming a true alternative to the current government.
The Convention was organized by an Ad Hoc Convention Committee composed of Henry W. Sayee, Z. Kwaque Coleman and Deanna Tulay Morris; while the Election Commission that guided the elections process was headed by Dr. Kettehkumeuhn Murray, former member of the House of Representatives.
The occasion was graced by a number of executives from opposition political parties including Richmond D. K. Yarkpah, National Chairman, Peoples Restoration Party; Tarnue Jarboi, representing the All Liberian Party; Allen M. Gbowee, representing the Movement for Progressive Change Party, and Momo Loboe, representing the Unity Party. Also, Moses Kiyean Kwehai, Secretary General, Peoples Unification Party and Vasco Gbelley Johnson, National Vice Chairman for Operations, New Liberia Party, both founding members of the Rainbow Alliance were in attendance.
The Rainbow Alliance was established three years ago by seven political parties, making it one of the largest collaborations of political parties in the history of Liberia. In spite of the fact that several of the original parties that formed the Alliance have withdrawn their membership, the Rainbow Alliance remains well governed, and is widely perceived as a matured political institution devoid of public confusion and internal conflict as seen in other areas of the opposition community.
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