By: Joel Cholo Brooks |
I was amazed and frightened when I saw on Saturday, November 17, 2018 during the final campaign day of the November 20, 2018 Representatives by-election with two of the candidates, John Weah (Know relationship to President Weah) of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and Cornelia Kruah-Togba of the Unity Party (UP) on that fateful trying to climax their respective campaign rallies.
As from the beginning of that day, as early as 8am, supporters of both candidates were in high gear with the anticipation of having an enjoyable campaign day without any interfering; molestation or other acts that would derail the political process.
But few hours later, the story of peaceful campaigning had changed, following the arrival of the Chairman of the ruling Party’s Youth League, and current Mayor of Monrovia City Corporation (MCC), Jefferson Koijee and his team of ‘Bodyguards’, all equipped with weapons; guns, cutlasses with their Chief (Koijee) holding a ‘Silver Pistol’ in his left hand, vigorously walking towards the opposing party, supporters of the Unity Party’s candidate with pride and dignity as bystanders stood and witnessed with a confused minds.
In a split second, dozens of supporters of both parties were seen running from all directions, frightened by the posture and movement of Mayor Koijee and his men who were emotionally charged, and well-armed possibly in pursuit of any one who opposes their candidate, John Weah.
I notably saw men in red caps and black outfits running after people who they perceived were around to disrupt their ‘Man’ John Weah’s campaign rally, children and their parents who were around the terrain to sell their petty market, while others who wore the T-Shirts of the Unity Party candidate, Mrs. Cornelia Kruah-Togba were also chased out of their selling places.
This scenario drew to a serious bloodbath, as wounded people, mainly young supporters of Mrs. Kruah-Togba were seen running from their attackers, while others who stood by to witness the occasion were also affected as some of those who wore the ‘Red and Black outfits’ kept running after people as their some of officials including Representatives Solomon George and A. Moses Gray observed the situation being carefully monitored by Mayor Koijee as he held to his silver pistol.
Many of the victims/wounded persons from the clashes were taken to some nearby clinics for immediate medical attention as the tension kept growing between the two groups compelling some supporters of the UP who wore the Liberty Party’s T-Shirts to undressed themselves for fear of any attack from the opposite.
The question that is being asked is, “Is Liberia Still at War? If yes whom and why?
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