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ADNews-Monrovia, Liberia: The opposition political party, Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), has condemned the arrest of its Political Leader, Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., branding the move as politically motivated and undemocratic.
Ambassador Kemayah was arrested early Thursday morning, June 26, by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), who reportedly surrounded his residence before taking him to court.
His arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into the alleged misappropriation of humanitarian rice donated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in 2023.
The rice, totaling 29,412 bags and valued at US$425,918, was meant for disaster victims but was allegedly diverted under the watch of key government figures, including Kemayah.
The former Minister of Foreign Affairs now faces charges including theft of property, economic sabotage, and misuse of public office, as part of the government’s broader anti-corruption campaign led by a special task force.
In a statement released Thursday morning, MOVEE slammed the arrest as “arbitrary”, calling it a thinly veiled attempt to silence a rising opposition voice.
The party accused the Unity Party (UP)-led government of using state security apparatus to intimidate political opponents.
“The use of frivolous charges and unproven allegations to go after opposition leaders is an attack on our democracy,” said MOVEE Secretary-General Jeremiah Paye in the party’s official response.
“Just days after MOVEE celebrated the graduation of 41 women and girls from our vocational training program, this government chose to strike at Ambassador Kemayah’s laudable community work. This is not justice, it’s political persecution.” Paye added, “Kemayah is our own. We will protect him.”
MOVEE called for the immediate and unconditional release of its standard bearer, asserting that the government lacks credible evidence to warrant his detention.
Ambassador Kemayah’s arrest stems from a sweeping corruption probe launched into the handling of a humanitarian aid package received in April 2023.
The rice donation was consigned to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) for distribution to disaster-affected communities.
However, following a months-long investigation, authorities allege that significant portions were diverted for “personal and political gains.”
Kemayah is one of three officials arrested in connection to the scandal, alongside Mary T. Broh, former GSA Director-General and Acting Monrovia City Mayor, and Henry O. Williams, current NDMA Executive Director. The arrests mark the first indictments issued under the current anti-corruption crackdown.
Legal analysts suggest the arrests could raise concerns about selective justice and the potential politicization of law enforcement.
The news of Kemayah’s arrest has sparked a flurry of reactions across political and civil society spheres.
There are fears that his arrest may open the door to politically influenced prosecutions.
Ambassador Kemayah is expected to appear before Criminal Court “C” for formal arraignment.
Sources within the Special Taskforce indicate that the investigation is ongoing and may involve additional arrests.
For MOVEE, the arrest could not have come at a more sensitive time.
The party has recently ramped up community outreach initiatives, including its vocational training and women empowerment program, which graduated over 40 women earlier this week.
“They’re trying to stop what they can’t control,” said Paye, reiterating the party’s belief that the arrest was timed to derail MOVEE’s political momentum ahead of the 2029 elections.
As Liberia continues to grapple with endemic corruption and fragile institutions, how the government handles this case may well shape the nation’s political climate for years to come.
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