By Amos Harris
Former Minister of Mines and Energy and longtime Unity Party (UP) stalwart Wilmot Paye has issued a sharply worded Homecoming Day message, warning that the governing party risks losing its moral authority and national mandate if it fails to confront what he calls “enemies within”—individuals he accuses of greed, corruption, and undermining the party’s 2023 reform pledge.
In a message ahead of UP’s December 6, 2025, Homecoming program, Paye stressed that the event should not be reduced to a mere show of political strength or celebration. Instead, he insisted it must serve as a critical moment of “recommitment, correction, and self-cleansing.”
Paye’s statement moved beyond the typical celebratory tone of party gatherings, launching a sweeping critique of individuals he claims have infiltrated the UP for personal gain.
“This Homecoming must unite us against the adulterants and unpatriotic intruders in our midst,” he wrote. “These are determined to prevent Liberia from reaching its God-ordained destiny… They are more dangerous than the Opposition.”
He lamented that people who “never wished for this day and never labored for it” are now positioning themselves to siphon public resources, just as he alleges they did under previous governments.
Paye sharply criticized what he described as a growing culture of impunity inside the UP-led administration, cautioning that the party’s credibility is rapidly eroding two years into President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s term. He accused unnamed officials of attempting to replace the government’s ARREST Agenda with “their greed,” and warned that a failure to act now would betray the sacrifices of the party’s historical figures and the hopes of the Liberian people.
Paye urged the UP leadership, especially members of the National Executive Committee, to break what he called “cliques” that control key decision-making, accusing some officials of hoarding positions and shutting out others who could serve the country.
In one of the most pointed sections of his statement, Paye argued that Liberia’s persistent poverty and dependency stem not from a lack of resources, but from internal sabotage and corruption. He cited revenue figures from Bea Mountain Mining Company and estimated iron ore potential along the Yekepa-Buchanan corridor, claiming Liberia’s natural wealth is being undermined by mismanagement and collusion.
“How can we still be poor?” Paye asked. “All we need is to stop the enemies within, the greed must be stopped. Otherwise, it will stop all of us.”
Winning Trust for 2029
Paye warned that the Unity Party’s performance will be judged by voters in 2029, stressing that trust must be rebuilt through honesty and integrity rather than patronage networks or financial influence. He articulated a core principle for electoral success:
“Elections are won with votes. Votes come from people. People are won with trust. Trust comes from character,” he said.
He urged young people, women, elders, and all UP partisans to “wake up now or never” and defend the party’s founding values before internal corruption derails its mission.
Paye disclosed he would not attend the Montserrado County Homecoming due to the funeral of a relative in Nimba County but announced a US$500 contribution to the event. His wife, he said, would represent the family.
He ended his message with a powerful plea for the party to defend its integrity: “The Unity Party is not for sale. Not today, not tomorrow, not in 2029, we must act now before it’s too late.”
Wilmot Paye previously served as National Chairman and National Secretary-General of the UP, former Minister of Mines and Energy, and ran as a senatorial candidate for Montserrado County in 2023. His comments add new fuel to rising internal tensions as the ruling party attempts to project unity ahead of the December 6 celebration.
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