Boakai fatigue hits Bong

What appears to be a serious morale decline for Vice President Joseph Boakai is seriously unfolding in Bong County with citizens developing less interest in his bid for the presidency in 2017.

Few months back, the name Joseph Boakai could be heard in every corner of the county with many describing him as their favorite for the 2017 Representative and Presidential Elections.

But not now, as the name of the Vice President appears to be leaving the lips of many citizens against aspirants from the opposition, including Counselor Charles Walker Brumskine of the Liberty Party (LP), Mr. Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP) and Dr. Joseph Mill Jones of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), amongst others.

With his regular visits to Bong County few months back, VP Boakai won the admirations of many citizens of the county, including lawmakers and administrators who escorted him to various occasions, rallying their constituents to support the Vice President’s Presidential ambition.

With many of the opposition parties now engaging in serious membership recruitment, the ruling Unity Party offices are still closed with its County Chairman Robert Womgbe still riding a 2011 election pick-up that often breaks down on highways.

Many had thought that after the Unity Party National Convention in Gbarnga, Bong County at which Vice President Joseph Boakai was elected on white ballot as standard bearer, it could have

commenced the party’s activities in the county, but things now appear to be on the opposite.

The Movement to Support Boakai local office that had been very active earlier, appears to be at the verge of closure as some local officials of the axillary group, who spoke this writer on condition of anonymity said, they lack financial and material resources to keep the office alive.

In recent weeks the Liberty Party and the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) have put up surprising crowds at their occasions, shocking even Unity Party members in the county.

From all accounts, things seem to be turning around for the worst against Vice President Boakai amid speculations that some district commissioners have met with Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine and declared their support to his Presidential bid.

Though the spokesman of the Commissioners Council in Bong Mr. KarmoKanneh of the Unity Party has moved quickly to say the statement is false and misleading, but local Liberty Party officials say it is true, though they did not name those commissioners allegedly involved for fear of being sacked.

Since the UP convention Vice President Boakai has not frequented in Bong as he was seen regularly in the county prior to the occasion. During the National Elections Commission recent inspection of Political Party Offices in the county, the ruling Unity Party office was in absolute disarray with officials putting the NEC inspection team under what appeared to be pretense that they were carrying out renovation.

By Papa Morris from Bong County-Editing by Jonathan Browne