Who Caused Thursday’s Violent Campaign Clash? – CDC, UP Blame Each Other

MONROVIA: In the wake of the Thursday, August 10, 2023 violent clashes between partisans of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the opposition Unity Party in Sinkor, Monrovia, which led to the brutalization of individuals reportedly from both political institutions, the Weah-Taylor 2023 National Campaign Committee says its attention has been drawn to false claims by the Unity Party (UP) which were contained in a press release published on Thursday, August 10, stating that partisans of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) disrupted activities of the Unity Party near the UP’s Campaign office in Airfield Sinkor, Monrovia.

According to the Weah-Taylor 2023 Campaign Committee press statement issued Thursday under the signature of Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala, National Campaign Spokesman of the Weah-Taylor 2023 National Victory Campaign Committee, the CDC’s ongoing district engagements of its standard bearer and vice standard bearer, which were continuing on Thursday in Districts 9 and 10 of Montserrado County had been pre-announced a week ago on various national media platforms. The CDC also communicated its key campaign dates to the National Election Commission.

“In spite of the prior announcement, the Weah-Taylor 2023 Campaign Committee, recognizing that the Unity Party was seeking to provoke violence by deliberately ignoring the CDC’s prevailing Campaign Schedule by going ahead to plan their own event on the same day, decided to postpone the pre-scheduled start of activities in District 9 for more than four hours to avoid any conflicts with UP Partisans who had announced a Press Conference for 10AM on Thursday.

“As a consequence of the irresponsible and violent actions of the Unity Party, partisans of the Coalition for Democratic Change were brutalized by Unity Partisans during today’s activities.

“The Weah-Taylor 2023 Campaign Committee therefore calls the attention of the National Elections Commission, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, the office of the ECOWAS representative and other well-meaning international partners to this flagrant provocation from the Unity Party and urges their timely intervention to avert future recurrence.

“The Weah-Taylor 2023 Campaign Committee reassures its many partisans, well-wishers and ordinary Liberians that it will always remain peaceful and that it is committed to upholding the law and the tenets of the Farmington Declaration,” the Weah-Taylor 2023 Campaign Committee stated.

UP Complains CDC also

Meanwhile, the opposition Unity Party had earlier announced the cancellation of its planned Press Conference to name the Full Rescue Mission Campaign Team due to what the party termed as massive traffic caused by the unexpected and unplanned activities of the CDC which made it difficult for Unity Party Standard Bearer Joseph Nyuma Boakai and his entourage to get to their party campaign headquarters.

In a Thursday, August 10, press release issued under the signature of Mr. Mohammed Ali, Official Campaign Spokesman, while en route to the UP’s National Campaign Headquarters as previously planned and scheduled to announce the additional and final campaign team and interact with partisans, supporters, and well-wishers of the Rescue Mission, the entourage of Ambassador Boakai encountered massive traffic caused by the unexpected and unplanned activities of the CDC.

“Partisans and militants of the CDC disrupted the activities of UP partisans who had gathered at VAMOMA to welcome their Standard Bearer. In view of the foregoing, UP Alliance’s Campaign has decided to postpone the planned press conference for the purpose of avoiding confrontation that could lead to violence between and among supporters of the two parties and also in observation of the Farmington Declaration.

“The UP Alliance calls the attention of the National Elections Commission to this constant disruptive behavior of the CDC. We also call on our international partners to caution the CDC to abide by the Farmington Declaration,” the UP Alliance Campaign Team said.

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