MONROVIA – In a striking twist of political irony, a years-old warning from former Presidential Aide Sekou Kalasco Damaro has resurfaced as the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) confronts the looming eviction of its national headquarters in Congo Town.
Damaro, who served under the George Weah administration, once publicly criticized the then-opposition Unity Party (UP) for what he described as poor organizational structure and weak leadership accountability. At the time, his remarks were seen by some as political posturing and by others as a note of genuine caution. He even offered to mobilize assistance from “concerned citizens” to help the UP strengthen its operations — advice that now appears prophetic as the CDC faces its own legal and organizational challenges.
The warning takes on renewed significance following a writ of eviction issued on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, by the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Montserrado County. The court instructed Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman to ensure the immediate enforcement of its decision, ordering the CDC to vacate the disputed Congo Town property.
The court’s ruling follows a prolonged legal battle over ownership of the four-acre plot, which the court determined belongs to the estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard. The judgment concluded that the CDC had been occupying the land illegally, in violation of verified deeds and boundary markers.
This latest development mirrors events from several years ago when the Unity Party — then in power — was itself evicted from its Congo Town headquarters. Between July 2018 and July 2021, the UP accumulated US$180,000 in rent arrears, prompting legal action from the property’s landlord. The Civil Law Court, presided over by Judge Kennedy Peabody, ultimately ordered the eviction, reducing the landlord’s US$250,000 damages claim to US$20,000. That decision was later appealed to the Supreme Court but remained a cautionary tale in Liberian political circles.
At the time, Damaro’s critique of the UP was couched in the language of foresight, focusing on the dangers of neglecting sound financial management, property obligations, and organizational discipline. His words — meant as political ammunition against the UP — now reverberate uncomfortably within the CDC, which is facing the very crisis he once warned could cripple a political organization.
Political observers note that the parallel is hard to ignore. Both parties have been central players in Liberia’s political landscape over the past decade, and both now share the dubious distinction of losing control of their headquarters due to legal disputes over property.
As the eviction order against the CDC moves toward enforcement, party Secretary General Jefferson Koijee has vowed to resist the court’s decision, calling it unjust and pledging to mobilize supporters to defend what he insists is “rightfully” the party’s property.
Whether the CDC complies with the ruling or challenges it in court, the episode underscores a recurring theme in Liberian politics — that the very vulnerabilities exploited for political gain can, with time, return to challenge those who once pointed them out.
