Unity Party founding member and Chairman Emeritus Chelle Noring is voicing sharp frustration over what he describes as repeated disrespect and marginalization by individuals close to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, claiming he has been treated "like a nonentity" despite decades of sacrifice for the ruling party.
Says Boakai's Surrounding Shows 'Little Regard' for Senior Partisans
Speaking as a guest on The Brumm on Prime FM, Noring said his efforts to meet President Boakai during his recent nine-month stay in Liberia were met with dismissiveness from those around the president.
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"Despite my contributions to the Unity Party, I was treated like an ordinary partisan whenever I attempted to meet President Boakai," he said, adding that senior members who kept the party alive during difficult times are now being sidelined.
"The current officials of the party appear to have little regard for senior figures who endured difficult conditions to keep the party afloat," he added.
Claims He Was Not Invited to Major December 6 Homecoming
Noring said he received no official invitation to the Unity Party's December 6 homecoming program--a snub he considers disrespectful given his role as a founding figure.
He described the exclusion as a worrying signal that the party no longer values the sacrifices of its veteran members.
The Unity Party has not issued a public response to Noring's assertions. The December 6 event brought together partisans, supporters and national leaders and saw new political actors pledge support to the ruling establishment, citing what they described as responsible leadership and development gains.
Noring's remarks add to growing internal debates within the party about cohesion, respect and the role of long-serving members as the UP works to consolidate governance and unity.
A Legacy Marked by Persecution and Exile
Recalls Arrest and Torture Under Taylor Government
Noring also reflected on the political turmoil he endured as Unity Party chairman from 1997 to 2001. His leadership coincided with rising tensions with the Charles Taylor administration, which he says led to his arrest and severe torture orchestrated by political rivals.
Believing he would not survive, Noring credits a man identified only as Moore for helping him escape and make a dangerous return to Monrovia before ultimately fleeing the country.
His final departure came days after a BBC interview in March 2001 in which he openly challenged President Taylor. Fearing retaliation, Noring left Liberia on March 15, 2001, entering what he describes as a forced exile--abandoned by the same political institution he once led.
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Today, he says, the emotional scars remain, and the silence of the Unity Party regarding his ordeal is a persistent reminder of Liberia's turbulent political past.
From Bodyguard to Chairman: Noring's Political Ascent
Noring's political roots trace back to his early service as bodyguard to Unity Party founder Dr. Edward Beyan Kesselley. His close proximity to leadership paved the way for deeper involvement in party operations.
He later served as County Chair for both Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties, strengthening grassroots mobilization and expanding the party's reach. He was eventually elevated to the national leadership as Third National Vice Chair for Operations, a position he held before the rise of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf within the Unity Party hierarchy.
His career, built on party loyalty and field experience, underscores why he believes senior members like himself deserve respect and recognition from the ruling establishment.
