The headquarters of Liberia’s main opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in the Congo Town district of Monrovia was demolished and party left homeless for the first time in more than two decades.
The demolition, described by critics as a punitive act tied to ongoing property disputes, occurred amid a property fight that has traced back more than 20 years.
The CDC, which has occupied the property since 2005, was left at the mercy of the ruling authorities that appear to leverage a family dispute over ownership when it fast-tracked an eviction order while an appeal was still pending before the Supreme Court.
The destruction of the site has been met with widespread condemnation across Liberia including from CDC leaders and supporters who say the action represents political vengeance and a disregard for due process.
Among the structures destroyed was a vocational school intended to serve underprivileged Liberian youth, according to party officials.
They say the loss hits at the heart of community programs and youth development that had benefited young Liberians. The headquarters was home to hundreds of homeless people who find solance the country’s post war grassroot political movement that has been inspired by the legendary world best footballer George Weah.
President Joseph Boakai, the political leader of the ruling Unity Party Alliance and a prominent political rival to the CDC, publicly justified the demolition. He characterized the action as legal eviction.
Critics of the CDC leadership asserted that the party should have secured the property years earlier during its long tenure at the site rather than waiting for a final judicial decision.
They argue that the stay of a judicial process and a prolonged occupation left the party vulnerable to eviction and subsequent demolition when the ruling authority moved to finalize ownership and/or reallocate the premises.
In a Saturday night statement responding to the episode, former President George Weah, who heads the erstwhile ruling Coalition for Democratic Change called for civility and respect for due process while criticizing the Unity Party government’s handling of the case.
Weah said that the government had demonstrated “gross disregard for the rule of law” and accused security forces of acting with “impunity” and in ways that threatened democracy and peaceful coexistence in Liberia.
Weah’s address urged supporters to remain calm and law-abiding as the party pursues legal avenues. He claimed that police actions, allegedly directed by Boakai, amounted to not only an eviction but an attempt to erase the CDC from public life. He emphasized the importance of legal processes and promised that the party would recover and rebuild its headquarters.
The former president’s remarks included a call to avoid retaliation and to redirect energy toward constructing a new, modern headquarters. Weah’s statement announced the creation of a Special National Headquarters Delivery Committee tasked with quickly undertaking construction and planning a national tour to inform Liberians about the party’s plans and vision for the future.
Political analysts say the incident could have implications for Liberia’s political climate, especially as the country navigates a fragile democratic landscape in which court orders and property rights are often highly politicized.
Civic organizations have urged restraint from all sides, emphasizing the need to allow the judiciary to operate independently and to respect due process.
The CDC’s leadership has pledged resilience, insisting that the loss of the building will not derail their movement. In a message to supporters, party leaders highlighted the importance of unity, determination, and a continued focus on building a robust party infrastructure despite the setback.
– Writes Festus Poquie
