Bong County Senator Prince Moye recent revelation regarding the fundraising practices of Liberia’s ruling Unity Party has raised serious questions about potential corruption, undue influence, and the credibility of government’s anti-corruption commitments.
In a detailed statement, the Senator explained that two prominent businesses pledged their personal businesses as collateral with two banks to raise funds for the purchase of the party’s headquarters. The exact cost of the property remains unknown. But fluctuates between US$2 million and $3 Million.
According to Senator Moye, at least 75% of the funds had to be delivered in cash, coordinated through two banking institutions, and ultimately used to secure the party’s headquarters.
The transaction according to Moye was formally witnessed and attested by President Joseph N. Boakai. Moye’s explicit implication of the President in this controversial deal that bears the appearance of corruption scandal raises questions about Boakai’s commitment to his signature pledge to “end business as usual.”
The Bong County lawmaker did not respond to the Oracle News inquiry regarding the identities of the banks and businesses fronting for the ruling party. Party national secretary general Amos Tweh did not answer to questions on the matter when contacted
Governance experts warn that the President’s involvement in attesting to the purchase of his party headquarters undermines anti-corruption efforts and creates opportunities for abuse of influence, as businesses may gain preferential treatment in exchange for their support.
The Senator’s revelation that businesses were used to secure bank financing for the headquarters raises further concerns. Experts warn that this could potentially be a backdoor mechanism, where business institutions are used as fronts to cover contributions from government officials or other influential actors, obscuring the true sources of political funding.
These fundraising practices also intersect with Liberia’s Campaign Financing Regulations (May 6, 2016), specifically Article 6.1, which states: “No contribution shall be made to a political party or candidate from a person who is not a citizen of the Republic of Liberia.”
Experts note that relying on businesses as collateral could obscure the true source of funds, creating potential violations of the law and raising transparency concerns.
“For a business to leverage its capital to support the purchase of a headquarters for the ruling party, it is difficult to gauge how much more the government is using such businesses as fronts to extract resources from the country,” said a governance analyst.
Given these developments, there is a growing call for immediate action from Liberia’s oversight institutions, including the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Elections Commission, the Financial Intelligence Agency, and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, to investigate:
- Whether government officials or non-citizens indirectly contributed to the purchase of the ruling party headquarters.
- The legality and transparency of using businesses as collateral to finance political party property.
- Potential conflicts of interest and breaches of public trust by the President witnessing and attesting to the property deed.
Civil society organizations stress that transparency and accountability are crucial to maintain public confidence in Liberia’s democratic institutions and to ensure that political fundraising does not become a tool for undue influence or personal gain.
This revelation underscores the urgent need for stricter oversight of political financing, especially for the ruling party, to prevent the blurring of lines between public office, private business, and political power.
By James Augustine Nyanti, Staff Writer and Legal Analyst
