“Why should these folks treat Liberia like this? Why steal from Yourselves and think you’re being smart?” ex-chairman Wilmot Paye
Former national chairman of the ruling Unity Party Wilmot Paye has warned that greed and corrupt members inside the ruling party pose a greater threat to its future than the opposition, urging party officials and supporters to boot them out.
UP leaders should recommit to the party’s 2023 pledge to tackle inequality, poverty and bad governance while confronting internal “adulterants and unpatriotic intruders” who intent on looting Liberia’s resources, Paye said.
“These are the enemies within, who are more dangerous than the Opposition.”
The former mines and energy minister accused some party members of colluding with foreign interests and trying to replace the UP’s anti-corruption “ARREST AGENDA” with personal enrichment.
“Why should these folks treat Liberia like this? Why steal from yourselves and think you’re being smart?” he asked, calling for immediate exposure and isolation of those he described as “thieves” and “crooks.”
The veteran politician urged the party’s National Executive Committee and government officials to act decisively. He called on officeholders to “serve with dignity” and warned against concentrating power and titles among a few people.
“The best defense UP needs from you is to serve with dignity. Serve Liberia. Stop serving your pockets and purses,” Paye said.
He linked the fight against corruption to the party’s electoral viability, saying voters reward trust and character, not money. He warned that if alleged corrupt elements remain unchecked, public confidence in the UP’s pledges could evaporate and undermine its standing by the time the party is judged again in 2029.
The Unity Party returned to power in 2024. Paye invoked the movement’s founders and martyrs in urging members to recommit to its founding ideals and to prevent “small-minded, greedy and insensitive thieves” from corrupting the party’s agenda.
UP faces significant public scrutiny and accusations regarding corruption and the failure to deliver on key campaign pledges. The administration’s anti-corruption campaign, which targets previous officials, is often described by the opposition as a “witch hunt,” while the UP points to its own accountability measures and perceived progress
According to a report by the governance tracking organization Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, President Boakai fulfilled only 3% of his 119 campaign promises between January and August 2024. An earlier report on the first 100 days indicated only 10% of deliverables were met.
