Joint security requests campaign schedules

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Liberia’s Joint Security has requested the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the opposition Unity Party (UP) to provide their respective campaign schedules for the run-off election.

Made up of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), and the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA), among others, the Joint Security believes that the parties’ provision of campaign schedules will help prevent conflict.

Police Spokesman and head of the Joint Security media relations made the special appeal on Tuesday, 31 October 2023.

While the first round of the 2023 presidential and legislative elections was largely peaceful, there were cases of brutal political violence that led to deaths, bodily injuries, and damage to properties, among others.

In some cases, supporters of the ruling CDC and the opposition UP clashed, and in other cases, CDC supporters clashed with supporters of different opposition political parties.

To avoid a repeat of such violence in the presidential run-off, Mr. Carter said the Joint Security is requesting the two political parties in the run-off to ensure that they are protected and guided on the day of their launching.

“The Joint Security is appealing to both parties that make it to the runoff to make available their campaign schedules to the police,” said Mr. Carter. 

He noted that this is in keeping with the many conversations and dialogue they had with political parties before the conduct of the elections. 

Additionally, Carter stated that this is in good faith and it is also intended to enable the security forces to protect any of the two parties that will be launching their campaigns.

According to him, many times the joint securities are blamed for not doing much in curtailing violence that broke out during political rallies and campaigns.

But Mr. Carter argued that when political parties are having rallies or campaigns, they don’t fully inform the Joint Security.

He suggested that this led to some of the violence of the first phase of the elections.

“Finally, we are asking the two parties to present their campaign schedules. We are doing this to avoid intrusion so that when one is having their activities, we don’t want the next party to come there,” said Mr. Carter.

Carter stated that the Joint Security’s preparation for the run-off election is well on course, noting that the security forces are prepared to provide adequate security protection. 

“During the previous elections, there were reports of Joint Security officers not seen in some places. However, I want to inform you that we have addressed all of those challenges ranging from threat, logistics, and manpower,” he said. 

“We are well on course and prepared for the runoff. We want to improve the rating of the Joint Security in this runoff,” said Mr. Carter.