MONROVIA: The populist political leader of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), a constituent party of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), George Manneh Weah, has acknowledged that “the revolutionary journey” of the CDC party was not easy.
“Power struggle is never easy. But from our humble beginnings in 2005, see how far we have come. We have come a very long way, fellow partisans. We have fought many battles, some of them unforeseen and unexpected. But we fought peacefully through the ballot, and never through violence or bullets. We have always been a Party of Peace,” Weah, a former global soccer celebrity, told thousands of jubilant CDC officials and stalwarts at its National Headquarters in Congo Town, outside Monrovia on Saturday.
“People tested our resolve when twice they took from us what belonged to us. But we never resorted to violence, and accepted our fate peacefully and calmly, because of love for the country,” Weah, now incumbent Liberian President declared, amid chants of revolutionary battle cries.
“What people did not realize is that we began our quest for leadership because of love for the country. We could not touch Liberia’s peace, Liberia’s dignity, and Liberia’s honor, because we were hoping for this day to come; so that we would have the opportunity to lead this country to prosperity, and to bring hope for change” emphasized the 1985 Europe, Africa and World’s Best Footballer, now politician.
His comments were aimed at motivating hundreds of thousands of zealous CDC partisans and officials who trooped to the CDC Headquarters to remain working very hard and hopeful for a better Liberia, assuring them that “the best is yet to come” under his leadership as President of Liberia.
“To all partisans who made the sacrifices in our struggle, this is now the country that you wanted, where all Liberians can participate equally, despite our political, religious, or ethnic differences, and where there are no political prisoners or prisoners of thought or conscience,” the President asserted in an address to partisans on Saturday, June 18, 2022, in celebration of CDC’s 17th Founding Anniversary.
The Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), was organized in 2005 and became the lead constituent party of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), along with the former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP), and Liberia People’s Democratic Party (LPDP) which won the 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
“I want to assure you that the best is yet to come,” President Weah stressed.
The Liberian Leader used the occasion to caution his fellow compatriots, mainly those who are seeking political power and concomitantly calling on the International Community to impose sanctions on Liberia alleged bad governance.
President Weah questioned the commitment and sincerity of such Liberian politicians to the Liberian Nation, indicating that “such people do not have the interests of the country at heart.”
As an opposition leader for twelve unbroken years, President Weah said, he, at no time, called for sanctions to be imposed on Liberia despite the misdeeds of public officials at that time.
“I did not ask for any Liberian, or the country itself, to be sanctioned. Instead, what did I do? I worked with the incumbent Government to promote peace and unity in our country,” he told the huge gathering of die-hard CDCians.
The President urged all persons aspiring for national leadership to refrain from such unpatriotic actions and to put Liberia’s best interests first.
The CDC political leader used the occasion to reassure Liberians at home and abroad of his regime’s preparedness and determination to push national development beyond imagination.
According to President Weah, “the best of development—the best of education opportunities, the best of a stable economy, the best of a good healthcare system, and the best of making Liberia an oasis of peace and reconciliation—is yet to be seen.”
He indicated that though the CDC led Government has made enormous strides in five years, there remains a huge window of opportunity to make the country what it ought to be in terms of socio-economic development.
Specifically addressing the leadership of the Liberia Marketing Association who presented a statement of appreciation to him, the Liberian leader promised to do everything within his power to make marketers and all Liberians comfortable, safe, efficient, and sufficient in the tasks of providing for themselves.
“Market men and market women; I want to assure you that the best is yet to come,” the former Chelsea and Manchester City striker emphasized.
The CDC Political Leader also paid homage to CDCians for conducting themselves in a mature, peaceful, and orderly manner that has become characteristic of the Party.
“It is these characteristics that have brought us from twelve years of disciplined struggle in the wilderness of opposition to a clean victory that has now seen us through five years of leadership through our membership of the Grand Coalition that rules Liberia,” he indicated amid pro-CDC political slogans and revolutionary battle cries.
