MONROVIA: The ongoing national campaign tour of President George Manneh Weah took a dramatic turn yesterday, Wednesday, October 4, 2023 when he made a triumphant entry into Grand Kru County, his home base to the delight of the citizens who for days have been anticipating his presence and as expected got the emotional and political blessings from his kinsmen who vowed to ensure that come October 10, 2023, they will throng the voting arena to massively vote for him.
President Weah and entourage who arrived in Barclayville having concluded his tour in Maryland County were cheered on right from the stage they were received at the border point between Maryland and Grand Kru Counties by the traditional leaders and elders in line with cultural orientation and then ushered in the city where a political rally was held in his honor to support his reelection pursuit.
After the various speakers had completed their turn in which they expressed their unequivocal joy and support, President said he was happy being at home in Grand Kru where he grew up before he moved to Monrovia for greener pasture.
He thanked them for the support he garnered from them over the years, the support which according had made him to ride in the comfort of good governance and the urge to do things beyond what was expected of him.
Unlike some other places where specific requests were made, President Weah did not receive any but the citizens went all out to acknowledge his achievements which according to them have resulted into their resolve to push the reelection bid of the president.
He promised that he will pull several development projects upon his election including road connectivity, hospitals or clinic and street pavement, adding that his 2nd term will change the develop narratives and his legacy will continue to live far beyond after he might have retired from public life.
“This I can assure you that our first term where we faced a lot of challenges was used to lay the foundation for what we will achieve in the second term. I promise you more development and there is no way I will build roads elsewhere and leave out Grand Kru”, President Weah said.
The CDC flag-bearer told his audience that the previous government left more than one thousand things undone that he is fixing, adding, “Global economy, I fixed it; hospital, I built more hospitals; free school, I have done it.”
The President pledged to fix the road leading to Grand Kru County. “And I can guarantee you, because when I came to you, I said I will fix your road. I said something yesterday and people said he lying to the people that he will fix their road,” he said
President Weah intoned that of course, he is fixing the road in Foyah; Lofa County which he noted is his main rival, Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s place, furthering that from Salayea, the road is going into Lofa County. He however noted that the road projects are slowed down because of the rainy season. “But who builds roads in the rainy season? Tell me. 171 years they did not build the roads we need, but they criticized the man [meaning President Weah] saying when the rain stops he will build the roads. That’s what they’ve been saying as some of their criticisms.
“You go to Montserrado County, the road that is coming from the airport all the way to Monrovia slows down because of the rain. And anytime we have one or two days of sun, we do half a kilometer. I say to you I will build our roads and institutions in Liberia and I am committed to that. I can promise you that if Grand Kru will have paved roads, it will be Manneh Weah. I cannot build road in the republic of Liberia and forget about Grand Kru,” President Weah averred
According to him, there was no road when he lived in Sass Town but added “I see your children on the internet in the Grand Kru chatroom criticizing. But I am not afraid [monneh plefannoh ooo]. Saying yeah, when they talk to (criticize), I can criticize them as well, which he translated in Kru when he said “Yeah! eyea ma bo-wru na wru yee bo].
“I will be in the chatroom because I want to convince them that those people that they are running behind have done nothing for our people” he pointed out, noting that when they were in power for 12 years they did not rescue anything, instead, we who come in power for five years ate the ones who have been rescuing them.”
He then went rhetorical, quizzing, “Can these people rescue anyone? All that they are saying is just bad luck and deceit; this is why we are here to inform you that these people are not rescuers neither are they a rescue team, they are a resting team.”
On the question of experience, he said, “They said we don’t have experience, but we have represented you to ECOWAS, United Nations we came back,” calling on he fellow CDCians to continue to work for the people of Liberia.
“But let us do our work. You know me; I have left an indelible mark whenever I have done;” referencing his achievements in footballing. “In the government, I want to leave history. I want people to say all roads in Liberia are paved by George Weah – that is history; just as you say George Weah paid Wassce fees, built the 14-Hospital, Emirate Hospital.”
He reiterated his commitment to building the roads. He narrated that the road from Bong County all the way to Salayea is ongoing; the road from Zwedru to us here [in Grand Kru] is coming. Those are my Success stories for which the opposition people ‘want me to fail.’
President Weah also pointed to criticism that so many Grand Kru people are given jobs in his government but was quick to debunk that by reminding his critics that most of those the referred to in high places in the government were elected into legislature where their colleagues trusted them into becoming Speaker as it is in the case of Speaker Bhopal Chambas, Senator Albert Tugbeh Chie. “These kinds of criticisms show the level of lies and deception of the people by the critics,” he said.
Notwithstanding the criticisms against his regime, he reassured the people of Grand Kru “… we have done well.”
Earlier, Dr. Weah thanked the people of Grand Kru for the warm reception accorded him, saying “I am here today to ask you to vote me for a second term just as I did in 2017 when I came here to talk to you, to vote for me George Manneh Weah as President.”
He also called on his fellow Grand Kru people to also vote for Albert Tugbeh Chie, Fonati Kofa and Wilkins Natt. “But you see, I know people have been coming to y’all and they’ve been telling y’all all kinds of things. In the Kru vernacular, he told the people that they are liars.
President Weah then narrated the difficulties of Grand Kru with transportation. “I remember when I used to live in Fedokreh, when John Kofi had his pickup here. Those in our generation know that we have one pick up here and the difficulties we used to go through to get to Monrovia was grave; we used to go as far as to Kanwieken and we came back.
Sass town was a territory when ‘our parents were here; and also Kru Coast as a territory. “Today we are in 2023; and if you think Sass Town doesn’t have roads, do you think it is because of George Weah?”
He said in the entire country today, no one can get through any county without passing through difficulties. Is it because of George Weah? He reiterated his question, saying that it is now his administration that is n bringing the people closer to development. The roads paved with coal tide around the country, he argued, was made possible by George Weah, pointing out that he is doing something and is working harder to develop the country.
He boasted that Liberia is 176 years and in the 171th year he built more hospitals,
“I give free education, I am building mist of the roads in the country while some of those that stayed 12 years plus did nothing”, he said,
He also told the people how he proved his critics wrong that he would fly to Grand Kru by helicopter and
“We’ve been traveling on this road, and they told you that I will come here with helicopter. How can I come to my people to use helicopter when I have to come see the road, but they don’t know me, “eye say mu-jeepo” [a Kru interpretation of they don’t know me]. .
Saying he is in the Grand Kru Chatroom all the time, he said fellow compatriots in the chatroom have been challenging me. He made specific reference to a boy he identified as Samsung Weah, whom he called on the podium dressed him up with the CDC beret and commended him for joining the ranks of the CDC.
“I call you Samsung; as I always stated to you that you are a wise man, you were just taking the wrong path. Today, I know that you are a very clever man. Because, a wise man changes. I am glad that you join the people’s struggle. This struggle is not for us; so congratulations! I call you to address you that as of today, you are part of the Mu-Yan movement
President Weah and his entourage spent the night in his home town of Sasstown and will other important places in Grand Kru before departing for Sinoe later today.
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