Gongloe leads LPP on visit to JFK, Benson hospitals

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Ex-presidential candidate Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe has led a delegation from his Liberian People’s Party (LPP) to visit victims and families of deceased partisans affected by election violence in Nimba.

Over the weekend, Cllr. Gongloe and his LPP team visited the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Sinkor, and Benson Hospital in Paynesville to console victims and their families. 

The LPP visitation was intended to interact, encourage, and console victims and members of the LPP who were involved in election violence in Nimba County between the opposition Unity Party (UP) and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

The incident is said to have taken place on the Ganta to Saniquellie highway on 13 November 2023, a day before the presidential run-off election between CDC’s George Manneh Weah and UP’s Joseph Nyumah Boakai.

The report says over thirty partisans and supporters of the LPP left Monrovia on a public transport bus which somersaulted in a deep curve on the Ganta to Saniquellie highway in Nimba County.

Of the thirty persons that were on the bus, three persons were reported dead with over 21 others injured.

During the visitation, LPP expressed sadness over the death of three of its supporters during the just-ended presidential run-off election.

Cllr. Gongloe, flanked by his running mate, Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, LPP chairman J. Yanqui Zaza with a host of other party officials, visited hospitals, and clinics where some of the affected partisans were taking treatment.

Minutes after they visit the hospitals and clinics, Cllr. Gongloe held a brief conversation with journalists at the Benson Hospital in Paynesville.

He expressed dismay over the accident and also expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

“First I want to inform the public that during our support for the Unity Party, we lost four of our partisans and supporters, and over twenty persons were injured,” said Cllr. Gongloe.

“Many of them got injured from moto accident, two of them are currently in hospital with one in the JFK and the other here at the Benson Hospital, and on Saturday we will be burying two of those who died in the process,” he added. 

Cllr. Gongloe disclosed that the first person died during the campaign closure of the Unity Party in Monrovia. 

“We pray that those that are affected recovered and as well we sympathize with the families of those that lost their lives, and we [are] also asking the leadership of the Unity Party to be with us in this process,” he added.

Cllr. Gongloe said after they lost the election, his party pledged its support to the Unity Party of President-elect Joseph Nyumah Boakai.

In the process, he said his people were delighted to campaign and vote for the Unity Party. He said unfortunately for his party, four persons died and many persons got injured and some were in hospitals.

In one of his visits, Dr. Urey Yarkpawolo consoled the families of the late Ruth L. Dahn, 43, who died during the accident.

He said those who died were going to exercise their democratic rights by voting for President-elect Boakai.

 “It is incumbent on President-elect Joseph Boakai and those around him to make sure that the transformation of the country is realized because those that lost their lives wanted to see a better Liberia,” he said.  

Meanwhile, several affected family members appreciated the leadership of the Liberian People’s Party for their care and attention during their time of bereavement and pain.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred between 3-4 PM on the eve of the presidential runoff election. 

They noted that the driver of the vehicle was at an excessive speed while engaging a deep curve along the Ganta to Saniquellie highway.

They noted that the driver lost control of the vehicle and it somersaulted. 

Minutes after the accident, victims were rushed to the Ganta United Methodist Hospital where three persons were pronounced dead by Doctors at the facility.

Two of the victims were critically injured and doctors at the Ganta hospital were not able to treat others, transferring them to Monrovia for proper medical care.