Liberia: Rev. Kiamu wants corrupt officials, war criminals prosecuted

By Lewis S Teh

Liberia: The Weah administration is under immense national and international pressure to fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law with the latest urge coming from the Chair of the opposition Democratic People Party of Liberia (DPPL) Rev. David Kaimu, calling on the government here to prosecute corrupt officials and war criminals.

He says the CDC-led government and past governments’ failure to prosecute corrupt officials, including those who committed atrocities during the country’s civil war is one of the many problems that continue to pull Liberia down the drain.

“One of the things wronged with Liberia is that no government has the guts to prosecute corrupt officials, including this very CDC-led government”, Rev. Kaimu notes.

Addressing a news conference Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at his residence along the Robertsfield highway outside Monrovia, Rev. Kaimu said if Liberia must get on par with her counterparts in the region, government must prosecute corrupt officials and those committing hideous crimes to demonstrate seriousness of leadership.

He says most governments in Liberia come to power to protect corrupt officials, something, he frowns on is unfair to the Liberian people, adding “If we are given the opportunity, we will hold people accountable for their actions. We will deal with corrupt people, we will expose them and get them out of the system, if need be, they will go to prison to face the law.”

The DPPL organizing chairman continues that another major problem confronting Liberia is the lack of willpower to reject people, who have committed atrocities in this country.

He points that war criminals are in power, enjoying themselves and subjecting peaceful citizens to various forms of humiliation yet, they enjoy protection.

“Our inability to fight corruption and punish those who committed war and economic crimes, including getting the system working are factors responsible for our backwardness”, he explains.

He says when the DPPL takes power, they will address those things that continue to pull Liberia down the drain.

Meanwhile, Rev. Kaimu reveals here that DPPL members, well-wishers and sympathizers are ready to travel to Buchanan, Grand Bassa County to convene the party’s first-ever national convention that will usher in new corps of officials ahead of presidential and legislative elections next year.

He says delegates are expected to come from all 15 political sub-divisions of Liberia for the convention that runs from April 1-3, 2022 in Buchanan.

Offices to be contested for including National Chairman, National Secretary General, National Women Chair, Youth Wings Chair, and Standard Bearer, among others, adding that the convention is a major contribution to making democracy work in Liberia.

When quizzed about forming alliances with other political parties, Rev. Kaimu quickly responds the DPPL is open to any alliance but, “from the look at things, the way we see things in the other coalitions, we will singlehandedly contest in the first round of the election, if there will be a second-round it will be that time we will form alliance.”

The Democratic People’s Party of Liberia recently described the United States Ambassador Michael McCarthy’s statement against corruption in the Weah administration and the filthiness of Monrovia as a wakeup call to both the government and all Liberians to redouble efforts in fighting corruption, advancing cause of human rights and rule of law, cleaning Monrovia and other cities and desisting from acts that threaten Liberia’s peace and security.

The DPPL also said the U.S. Ambassador’s statement is a call to President Weah and his government to implement critical economic reforms necessary to accelerate sustainable economic growth and human capital development.

Rev Kaimu described the Ambassador’s statement as realistic, honest, fair and a caution to President George Weah to pay attention to what should be important to his government, saying “It is a very transparent assessment of how poorly this government is doing when it comes to the fight against corruption and violation of the rule of law and the abuse of human rights.” Editing by Jonathan Browne