This is the People’s Revolution ‘Claim It – Vote Me & All CDC Lawmakers’, Weah Woos Supporters, CDCians

MONROVIA: Ever since he and other ideologues of the Congress for Democratic Change now Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) registered their presence on the Liberian political landscape back in 2004—all of them being non-conventional politicians and new breed on the bloc—football legend, peace ambassador and humanitarian George Menneh Weah and his collaborators had it at the back of their minds that their cardinal motive was to launch “a masses revolution” that would shatter the status quo and turn political governance upside down from a pyramid mode (elites-centered) that it had been for over a century and half to an inverted pyramid mode (people-centered and people-driven). Why others must have succumbed along the way, and anti-CDC propaganda has got its own share in petering out the fervor of the revolutionary identity of the party, the Chief Ideologue, President George Manneh Weah, still apparently remains keen and alert to the revolutionary doctrine and its inherent adversaries. During one of his engagements with a cross section of citizens in the important province of Margibi, the CDC Strongman invoked and plowed the consciences of the masses in a bid entrench the populist spirit of their party and fasten their grips onto power. And one way the President suggested it was that, in the October 2023 elections, partisans, supporters, admirers must not only reelect him but sweepingly vote all CDC senatorial and presentative candidates. The Analyst reports.

In what seems at attempt to spread a captivating message to his partisans and supporters as to take ownership of quest for re-election and to mobilize mass support for legislative candidates flying the flags of CDC, President George Manneh Weah yesterday, Thursday, August 31, 2023, described the pursuit of the party in the 2023 general elections as a “people’s revolution”. He then called on them to demonstrate ownership and protection of the revolution by not only electing him on October 10, 2023, but also to cast their ballots for all legislative candidates contesting under the platform of the CDC.

According to President Weah, this will help them sustain and perpetrate the ideals of the revolution of which all masses of the country are a part, and enable him to undertake and implement development projects without hindrance.

President George Manneh Weah who spoke to a mammoth crowd in Unification Town, Margibi County, as he rounded up his campaign tour in that part of the country, thanked the people for their commitment and resilience exercised over the years in supporting his political career starting from 2005 and up to 2017 when he eventually won the presidency.

“Having brought me to the people’s struggle, you the masses of this country for whom I have committed the development agenda of my government cannot afford to abandon me,” he said at the political rally.

He told the people that as he was soliciting their support for re-election, there was a compelling mandate they also needed to execute during the October 10, 2023 general elections, and that is by ensuring that a single candidate including himself from the CDC should not be allowed to lose.

“If you want for me to succeed in implementing all the  projects that will change the developmental landscape of the country in my second term which you clamor to give me, you should vote our legislative candidates as well.”

He continued: “You and I have a responsibility that when I am elected, I need the other legislative candidates from our party to be elected so that when I go to the Legislature to negotiate for legislations or anything to be signed by me, it will be done without any hindrance.

“In my second term, there will be so many projects for our people and the country, and they will need legislative approval. But when the opposition to our revolution are elected, some of the things we want to seek approval for, such as the WASSCE fees that we want to sign and make them lawful and perpetual will not come by.”

President Weah told his partisans and supporters further: “This is the people’s revolution and you cannot isolate the president. The president must go back with his people; I mean those who you will say let us carry rice price back to $13; and they will say yes. These are the people you should vote for. I am saying it to you because if you don’t do that the other people will give me a hard time and they will say, ‘we told you that this man cannot do the job.’”

“So from this area, vote for Nathaniel Farlo McGill and Ivah Jones to the Legislature,” President Weah said amidst chanting of the party’s slogans and battle cries.

Dedicating Rubber Processing Plant

Earlier, the President visited the multi-million dollar rubber processing plant owned by a renowned Indian businessman, Upjit Singh Sachdeva, affectionately called “Jeety” where he performed the dedication of the entity and toured the facilities.

He then departed for Weala in District #5 where another elaborate program was held and the citizens assured him a one round victory after speaking loudly of the president’s achievements over the years.

President Hugely Surprises Margibians

In a related development, it was a scene of joy and celebration when the President took inhabitants of Kakata, Margibi County, by surprise when he walked to the vicinity of one of the biggest hospitals in Central Liberia, breaking grounds for a new one at 150 beds and dedicating housing units for staff.

When some of his critics have already written off any initiative under the sleeves of his administration to reconstruct the CH Rennie Hospital which was gutted by fire about two years ago, President George Mannneh Weah on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, in Kakata, Margibi County, to the disbelief of citizens and residents as well as his doubters, broke ground for the construction of a new facility which will be upgraded to a 150 bed hospital just as he also dedicated resident quarters for medical doctors and nurses who will be assigned at the health institution

The ground breaking and dedication formed part of the several activities lined up for President Weah on his two day campaign tour of Margibi County to solicit for votes towards the ensuing 2023 general elections where he is seeking re-election as his first tenure is coming to an end.

President Weah who had earlier arrived in Kakata City to begin his tour, walked on some principal streets of the City, accompanied by an array of government officials including Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and top partisans of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and at the end of the rounds, the President was led to the premises of the hospital where jubilant crowd were awaiting his arrival amid singing and dancing.

President Weah upon disembarking from his vehicle moved towards the housing units and quietly dedicated them to the amazement of the surging crowd most of whom told The Analyst that they were witnessing such development in their lifetime.

Thereafter, President Weah and his entourage moved to the venue of the engagement program where he had an interactive session with the citizens and sought their support for his re-election.

Some of the doctors who will be beneficiaries of the housing units said they were excited that the President would be thoughtful to construct the facilities which, according to them, have solved one of the many challenges facing the health workers coming out of the county to take up assignments.

“This is indeed unprecedented and this will be the first time I have had such an opportunity to live right on the premises of my post of assignment free of charge and do my work without thinking about the source of where my rental fee will come from.

“The President, while doing this, has also thrown the challenge to us to reciprocate what we have gotten from the government through his visionary leadership by giving our best in the discharge of our duty”, one of the nurses said.

A retired health worker who did not wish to be named in the papers, said the construction of the housing units will mark a unique turning point in how he said the future of the sector could look with such investment which he said has never happened in his own professional career and look forward to more intervention from the President.

“Honestly, this is a new chapter and I just hope that the President will remain focused on more interventions in this sector that should be so key to the national development aspiration of the country but sadly has been overlooked over the years. This is a happy day for those of us that have put in many years in this sector and I say, thank you Mr. President”, he said.

Also a group calling itself “The Free Thinkers Alliance of Margibi County” through its spokesman Amos TN Kamara Sr., who spoke to The Analyst said the group does not see any political motive behind the two major projects in the county “as the President has demonstrated on many occasions his passion to develop this country thereby shift the paradigm for the pursuit to make Liberia a functioning nation that will be admired by our neighbors and beyond”

The ground breaking ceremony marked the fulfilment of the promise of President Weah on the premises of the hospital following the fire incident that gutted the structure on August 16, 2021when he visited to express his sadness over the unfortunate occurrence.

The hospital which is the biggest government referral hospital in the county was severely affected by the fire incident, leaving the main building which housed the emergency room, record room, surgical theatre and other offices completely burnt down and has not been able to continue providing health services to the public.

CH Rennie Hospital was constructed in 1971 as a public health center but was later upgraded to a full hospital in the 1980s.

When it is completed and comes into operation in 18 months, the hospital will be in an upgraded status as its capacity will be increased with it being a 150 bed facility, serving the needs for a larger population that may go beyond Margibi County.

Immediately after the breaking ground, President Weah proceeded to the jam parked Nancy B. Doe Sports Stadium in Kakata City venue of the engagement program where he thanked the people for giving him their votes in 2017 when he did not show anything at the time, stressing that at the end of the day judging from his stewardship in the last 6 years, he has performed beyond their expectation.

“I want to thank you for the honor given to me in 2017 when I went to you to give me the opportunity to serve you with the promise that I will not let you down.

“We can all attest to this that I have been able to do more than we all expected and it is on record that what we did in the almost 6 years in charge of the country are more than what those who want to come back to power after 12 years did.

“I am coming back to you to tell you that let us end what we started to build our country and unite our people. I am here to ask for your mandate once again so that I can complete the projects that will restore our country,” President Weah said.

Speaker after Speakers, the citizens were unanimous in their decision to pick the President ahead of other candidates and vowing to ensure that the victory will be achieved in the first round.

President Weah and entourage, at the end of the program departed for Bong Mines, Fuamah District in continuation of the engagement where the citizens have been waiting patiently to receive him and when his convoyed reached them later in the evening, they went into wide jubilation, singing and dancing, with security officers having a hectic task to keep the crowd a bit distance from touching him.

Having listened to all the statements of support, most of whom contained long lists of his achievements over the years both for the county and country, President Weah mounted the stage to appreciate them for the reception accorded he and his delegation and also for the support he got from them when he sought the presidency in 2017.

He told the citizens to discount all the advances being made by the opposition, who are contesting to unseat him democratically. He said he was confident that the people, having seen his scorecard which according to him is “impressive”, will give him the much needed votes to actualize his re-election bid in the first round.