– Army Wives Association clarify
By Jerromie S. Walters
The wives of the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) have refuted news of a planed protest in Monrovia. According to information, the wives of the AFL were planning a protest and black the convoy of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on his return from South Korea.
Different sources reported the Army Wives Association of Liberia contemplating staging a major protest, according to women they have no intention of protesting and said claim is untrue.
During a media engagement on Thursday, June 6, 2024, Teridon Reed Walker led scores of officials of the Army Wives Association of Liberia, in an initial bid to debunk the report, and set the record strict. “We are here because we are hearing that the Army wives want to come out to protest and block the President’s convoy,” she told reporters in Monrovia. “That is not true, we have no intend of doing that, and we are not even thinking about doing that.”
Teridon Reed Walker articulated, “As you people know we are bereaved in the barrack. We are disturbed because of the death of one of our husbands. We don’t have that mindset about coming to the streets to protest. I believe maybe there should be a protest or they are planning a protest but anyone caught in the streets using the name of the Army wives they should be penalized because they should use the background come from because we Army wives when we got ready to protest we used our name [Army Wives Association], but now we don’t want to be bothered with people using our name because I think its (A form of) impersonating.”
The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) In a statement dated Saturday, June 1, 2024, informed the public that on 30 May 2024, at approximately 10:45 PM, Sergeant Bobby Manndeh allegedly shot and killed himself while serving guard duty at the EBK Barracks in Schiefflin, Lower Margibi County.
Since then, it has been speculated that the AFL wives are contemplating protesting as a call for a probe into Sergeant Bobby Manndeh’s mysterious death. However, the women have refuted this report.
Teridon Reed Walker told journalists Thursday that they don’t find pleasure in protestation, and clarified that their initial protests were for an ardent and genuine reason. “We Army Wives Association of Liberia, I repeat [We] have to intention of getting in the streets to protest. We are not rebels. We did it for a reason and we [Are] done.” She emphasized, “No Army wive is planning to protest for the death of Sargent Bobby. No, that is not true.”
The AFL May 30, 2024, release said the Liberian National Police (LNP) was notified of Sargent Bobby’s death, and the LNP Homicide Division promptly arrived on the scene to investigate the incident this has not convinced Boakai critics that the death was normal.
Sargent Bobby’s death prompted controversies and mixed reactions as scores of Liberians questioned the possibility of him shooting himself multiple times in the head.
They have justified this belief with
rumors that Sergeant Bobby Manndeh was one of those who allegedly influenced the heated protest by wives of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) that led to the forceful resignation of retired Major General Prince C.
Johnson as Defense Minister-designate after he was earlier appointed by President Joseph Nyum Boakai.
This is also one of many reasons why some have claimed that the Army women are planning a protest. In early February, a series of protests were held by a group of women believed to be wives of personnel from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).
The women, in their actions, called for the removal of retired AFL Chief of Staff Prince C Johnson, following his appointment as Defense Minister by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Before Mr. Johnson was confirmed, the women petitioned the Senate, craving its indulgence not to confirm Mr. Johnson, because he had been involved with some unorthodox acts at the level of the army, including embezzlement of funds intended for the soldiers.
On Monday, February 12, 2024, the women heightened their protest, as their presence was felt in Margibi and Montserrado counties.
The protestations also led to the cancellation of the formal celebration of the Armed Forces Day. But this time, the women (AFL wives) say they have no plan of staging a protest.
Sergent Manndeh, Bobby was enlisted into the AFL in 2007 as an infantry soldier and his last assignment was with Alpha Company – First Battalion, 23rd Infantry Brigade. He served with the last batch (9th) of AFL Contingent in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali from September 2022 to December 2023.
The body is currently deposited at the 14 Military Hospital, while Military Police and the LNP Homicide Division are conducting further investigation into the incident.
