By Calvin Quays|Contributor
A concern Liberian has warned Liberians to desist from electoral violence if the democratic process in the country will be sustained and advance to appreciate level for all to choose their respective leaders through the ballot box.
According to Mr. Amos M. Lavalah who witnessed and experienced the intention of electoral violence at Moi River in Kongba District in Gbarpolu County which is a difficult area very hard to access by vehicles, but with motorbikes due to lot of hills which look like mountains range make it impossible to access smoothly.
Mr. Lavalah alleged that one of the candidates in the mid-term Senatorial Elections in Gbarpolu County Madam Botoe Kanneh supporters set up two checkpoints leading to Moi River places with some youth holding cutlasses preventing other candidate’s supporters from accessing places to share their messages with the people.
He explained that the boys at the check points also prevented him from accessing the places at Moi River, noting that they intimidated him while Madam Kanneh and her female friends were around watching their boys stopping other people from passing at the checkpoints which according to him, reflected his mind back to the actions of the 14-year senseless civil war in Liberia.
He noted that reports coming from Gbarpolu County through the electronic and print media of intimidation of Madam Kanneh are not factual as it has been reported in Monrovia and other women organizations condemning without proper investigation of the situation in the county.
Mr. Lavalah narrated that holding elections in rural Liberia, the government should ensure that lives and properties are protected with the presence of enough police officers to prevent electoral violence among the people.
He observed that the lack of adequate police officers in more rural parts of the country after the civil war have made some people think that they can take the law into their hands and do anything with impunity.
According to him, it is about time that the National Elections Commission and the Liberia National Police work together to ensure that enough police officers are present in the various counties to maintain law and order before, during and after the electoral process across the nation.
Mr. Lavalah urged the youth of Liberia to be mindful of politicians whose intention is to use them for electoral violence, but they should resist violence in any form and ensure that the fragile peace in Liberia is maintained and sustained.
The Liberia National Police recently announced that it has arrested several persons inconnection with recent violent activities in Norman Town, Gbarpolu County which led to the reported kidnapped of senatorial candidate Borto Kanneh.
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