Reports from Liberian capital Monrovia say residents of the slum community of Clara Town have booed incumbent Vice President and Presidential hopeful Joseph Boikai during an endorsement visit to the area on Tuesday Wednesday. An eyewitness reached by telephone told the African Star that some residents of the area were displeased with the visit of the Vice President whom they accused of “encroaching on the territory; of the largest opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) political party.
Clara Town is considered a strong-hold of Senator George Weah, leader of the CDC.

Several supporters of the ruling Unity Party (UP) of President Boikai were chased away during the protest which almost turned violent but for the intervention of the Liberia National Police (LNP) which quickly arrived on the scene and contained the situation. According to the eyewitness, CDC supporters who were chanting party slogans blocked vehicle access of the Vice President.

CDC party leader Senator Weah has yet to issue a statement on the incident. An official of the UP has condemned the action of CDC partisans calling it “undemocratic”. Vice President Boikai recently announced his selection of current House Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay as his running mate.
There are fears of an uptick in political violence in the lead up to the holding of Presidential and General Elections on October, 2017. 20 Political registered and certified political parties are contesting the elections including the CDC and the ruling UP.
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Meantime, according to its elections timetable, Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) is expected to publish the preliminary list of candidates on Friday, July 14th. The NEC has been receiving candidates nomination since June 19th, Two Vice Presidential candidates of the Liberty Party(LP) – Mr. Harrison Kanwea and Alternative National Congress (ANC) – Ambassador Jeremiah Sulunteh have been disqualified by the NEC based on stipulations of the Code of Conduct (COC) which has been upheld by the West African nation’s highest court.

According to Part V of the CoC under the heading Political Participation, “… All Officials appointed by the President of the Republic of Liberia shall not:
a) engage in political activities, canvass or contest for elected offices;
b) use Government facilities, equipment or resources in support of partisan or political activities;
c) serve on a campaign team of any political party, or the campaign of any independent candidate…”
Section 5.2 further stipulates that “…a) Any Minister, Deputy Minister, Director-General, Managing Director and Superintendent appointed by the President pursuant to article 56 (a) of the Constitution and a Managing Director appointed by a Board of Directors, who desires to contest for public elective office shall resign said post at least two (2) years prior to the date of such public elections;
b) Any other official appointed by the President who holds a tenured position and desires to contest for public elective office shall resign said post three (3) years prior to the date of such public elections…”

Representative and Presidential Campaign period kicks off on July 31 through October.

By Staff Reporter
African Star