The once bustling headquarters of the ruling Unity Party now stands eerily quiet, resembling a ghost camp, as observed by Verity News.
A recent visit to the headquarters in Central Monrovia revealed a stark reality – only a handful of individuals, no more than six, were present.
Reports from inside sources had hinted at this unsettling situation, citing a lack of dues payment by party executives and members, resulting in the abandonment of the party’s headquarters.
Traditionally a hub of activity, especially during elections, the current state of the Unity Party headquarters paints a troubling picture.
Rumors have it that party members are more focused on securing government positions than on supporting the party itself, leading to its isolation and undermining its functionality despite being in power.
Verity News’ observation raises questions about the effectiveness of the party, particularly in fulfilling its role as a conduit between citizens and government machinery.
Political parties serve as vital channels for citizens’ concerns and aspirations, offering a sense of accessibility and responsiveness that government offices may lack.
However, the apparent neglect of the Unity Party headquarters jeopardizes its ability to fulfill this crucial role, potentially eroding public trust and support.
Reflectively, the Unity Party has emerged as a dominant political force, securing power for the third time. Renowned for its twelve-year tenure under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the party has left an indelible mark on Liberian politics.
In the elections of July 19, 1997, the UP’s presidential candidate, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, garnered 9.58% of the vote. The party secured seven seats in the House of Representatives and three in the Senate. Although international observers deemed the polls administratively transparent, there was an atmosphere of intimidation, with many voters fearing a return to conflict if former rebel leader and National Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Charles Taylor lost.
Sirleaf claimed victory in the 2005 presidential elections, defeating George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in a runoff. Additionally, the party secured three Senate seats and eight House of Representatives seats. The merger of the Liberia Unification Party and the Liberian Action Party into the Unity Party on April 1, 2009, significantly bolstered its legislative representation.
However, the party faced defeat in the 2017 Liberian general election runoff, losing to former footballer and previous runoff candidate George Weah. The party’s decision to expel President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on January 13, 2018, for campaigning with Weah against her own Vice President, Joseph Boakai, reflected internal tensions.
In 2023, the Unity Party clinched victory in the Liberian general election, narrowly defeating incumbent George Weah by less than 21,000 votes, marking the closest runoff in Liberia’s electoral history.
Despite its history, the party’s inability to maintain political activeness at its headquarters while in power has raised eyebrows among political pundits.
While the party formed alliances with other political parties to secure victory in the recent presidential election, it faces the monumental task of ensuring its supporters feel its presence and remain engaged.
