Saah Joseph, Others condemn Rep. Gray

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

Since the clash bloody clash between campus-based Student Unification Party (SUP) and group loyal to Montserrado County Electoral District #8 Representative, Moses Acarous Gray, the Montserrado County lawmaker has been blamed and heavily condemned by people from both from the opposition and the ruling class.

The violent clash ensued as members of SUP attempted to resist the entry of Rep. Gray on the main campus of the UL on Capitol Hill in Monrovia, but the Montserrado County lawmaker, backed by huge numbers of ‘‘Body Builders’’ dressed in all black and street thugs forced their way through the UL Campus. The resulting end was heavy stone throwing, which forced members of SUP to retrieve as they were outnumbered by the men in black and thugs.

At the level of the Liberian Senate, Montserrado County Senators Saah H. Joseph, who is a member of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), joined fellow Senators to condemn Rep. Gray.

Like many other Senators, Sen. Joseph also blamed Rep. Gray for not exercising leadership as a lawmaker by engaging into a clash with the students.

“The past action of the students was wrong, but I want to condemn Representative Gray, and Rep. Yekeh Kolubah, who I understand went there later on. Representative Gray, I think did not exercise proper leadership,” said the Montserrado County Senator.

Senators Steve H. Zargo of Lofa County, James Biney of Maryland, Jerimiah Koung of Nimba, Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado, J. Milton Teahjay of Sinoe County, Comany B. Wesseh of River Gee County, Prince Yormie Johnson of Nimba County and Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of Grand Bassa County among others, joined the wagon to vilify the Montserrado District#8 lawmaker.

“They put you up there so they can look up to you, and so you shouldn’t be looking down to the same place they are; you shouldn’t be thinking like them. This is why you hear people all over the place talking Acarous, Acarous and nothing much about the students. This is because you have certain title in society and must exhibit high degree of leadership and ethical standard,” Sen. Koung asserted.

“One thing we must know is that, if this peace here is not kept, we will not be Senators and Representatives. For us to be Senators or maintain our statuses in government, is for this place to be peaceful. The greater responsibility to keep this peace is upon our shoulders. So even if everyone wants to confuse things to get us out of our positions, we should ensure at all causes that the country remains peaceful. Mr. Presiding, to say this clear: Acarous misbehaved yesterday,” he added.

It could be recalled that sometimes last week, Rep. Gray announced a visitation to the UL Capitol Hill Campus to have lunch on March 13, 2023.

Rep. Gray’s pronouncement came on the heels of series of recent verbal and violent attacks by SUP against prominent individuals including Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, former Solicitor General, Syrenius Cephus and an employee from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Aloysius Howe, among others.

The action by SUP against these officials were widely condemned by members of the public including the Government of Liberia(GoL) on account that no campus based political party including SUP has the right to prevent anyone including government officials from visiting the UL campus. Against this back drop, they called on the GoL and UL authorities to put into place proper mechanism aimed at arresting this ugly situation by SUP.

Nevertheless, amid these already prevailing circumstances, the pronouncement by the Montserrado lawmaker was greeted by serious mixed public reactions and emotions with some terming it as provocative and inciteful.

But in spite of the public mixed feelings, Rep. Gray still took up the courage to storm the campus of Liberia’s most populous university, hence, his action was met by counter reactions.