LP partisans defy all challenges

Despite inadequate campaign materials, including T-shirts, face caps, and lappers at more than 20 different zonal offices of the opposition Liberty Party visited by this paper in Redlight, Paynesville district, hundreds of LP partisans and sympathizers, who had trooped to those locations with expectation to obtain campaign materials were never deterred on Saturday, 9 September as they marched to the party headquarters to grace the official launch of campaign by their standard bearer Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine and his running mate Harrison Karnwea ahead of the October elections.

In spite of the shortages, thousands of LP partisans courageously joined their colleagues at the various district pick-up points and subsequently moved to the ELWA intersection, designated as official take off point for the campaign parade.

The joyous partisans also included old ladies some of whom were seen walking with canes in solidarity of the LP’s call to turn out and prove to opponents the party is ready to capture state power on 10 October. The campaigners and partisans began what most of them describe as victory march from the ELWA junction to the party headquarters situated at the Old Road intersection in a very high spirit.

They sang campaign songs backed by a marching band while others were onboard pick-ups, buses, motorbikes. The convergence of the huge number of partisans and sympathizers as well as campaign officials from various districts created a serious no-go-zone for vehicles traveling from the Paynesville belt to Central Monrovia.
While the LP supporters vigorously paraded the streets, they were closely guided by uniform officers of the Liberia National Police deployed at every pick-up point to ensure they have unhindered access and free passage from those who were not part of the political rally.

Several people, who spoke with this writer, including 69-year-old Winniefred Thompson from Firestone, Mitchell Dennis from Rivercess, Florence Gibson Shaw from Bong Mines and Betty Mason, among others, express joy for being part of an historic making moment. They vow to make sure the LP takes state power through free, fair and transparent election on Tuesday, 10 October.

Some overzealous supporters, who were in their joyous mood, spew water bags into a military pick-up belonging to the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) which got barricaded by LP partisans. However, the situation was later resolved without anyone being molested or harmed. The AFL soldiers were traveling from the Old Road-Nigeria House intersection towards Oldest Congo Town.

Standard Bearer Cllr. Brumskine reportedly chartered over 40 commercial buses to transport partisans LP partisans from various outskirts of Monrovia, thereby causing hundreds of citizens to trek to their respective destinations due to scarcity of commercial vehicles in the streets.

By Emmanuel D. Mondaye-Editing by Jonathan Browne