The Liberian capital Monrovia is on Saturday witnessing the formal launch of campaigning of the ruling Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) for upcoming bye-elections on July 8.
Two of the party’s candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate are being showcased to partisans and the electorates in various communities in the sub political division of Montserrado County which is also the seat of Government.
House of Representative candidate Abu Kamara is contesting in District #15 against Telia Urey of the opposition All Liberia Party (ALP). Both candidates are political neophytes who are hoping to solidify the majority in the Legislature as is the case with candidate Kamara or gain a foothold as a counter to the dominant CDC as Ms. Urey is trying to achieve.
In the Senatorial contest, the ruling CDC is fielding Paulita Wie, who has not held elected office but has featured prominently in the party activities and recently served as a Deputy Minister in the Government.
A Coalition of four collaborating opposition parties who have managed to gain some political momentum due to the host of economic challenges plaguing the ruling CDC Government are throwing their support behind candidate Abraham Darius Dillon of the opposition Liberty Party (LP). Dillon is an experience political operative and, although, has not held elected public office, he has served prior as a senior Legislative aide and a staffer at the Country’s Ministry of Justice early in the Administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Dillon and the opposition, with a win of a Senate seat, are hoping to crimp the dominance of the ruling CDC, its agenda and influence.
Heavy rains and some flash flooding in Monrovia on Saturday briefly delayed the CDC partisans and leaders from their launch activities.
At the party headquarters in the eastern suburb of Congo Town, a smaller than usual partisan crowd began assembling in the early afternoon hours and inspite of a call from the party leadership for them to assemble at 6 am local time.
Critics of the ruling CDC and Government day the diminished enthusiasm and crowd are the direct result of disappointment and cooling of support. A CDC auxiliary personnel blamed the late start of the launch on the poor weather and logistical issues.
Later Representative candidate Kamara, accompanied by a raucous crowd of supporters, and party T-shirt wearing CDC partisans and their banners marched.
Opposition candidates Urey and Dillon, earlier during the week, undertook engagements with various communities to ask for support and votes.
The bye elections are being seen as a critical political litmus test for the ruling CDC which is being challenged to deliver on prior campaign promises and economic relief.
Source: Emmanuel Abalo / African Star
Comments are closed.