Weah Returns Home Amid Rowdy Welcome -As LNP, CDCians Clash

MONROVIA – Former President George Manneh Weah’s well publicized return to Liberia was expected to have generated a feel-good moment for supporters of his former ruling Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) who were reeling from the recent destruction of their party headquarters in Congo Town. But as things turned out yesterday Monday, CDCians got the shock of their lives when they stormed the RIA vicinity to welcome their political leader but met the brute force of the Liberia National Police who had been deployed at the Roberts International Airport to maintain law and order.

A week before his momentous return to Liberia, news about his coming had already been circulating within the media space for CDCians to gather at the Roberts International Airport to receive him. But his handlers had to quickly dispel the rumors that former President George Manneh Weah was enroute to Liberia. They decided to hold their cards close to their chests about the main date. And so, amid the expectations and anxiety from his political party diehards, supporters and sympathizers, former President Weah was officially announced to return on Monday, September 22, 2025, to a rousing welcoming ceremony that hardly resembled that of the country’s most populous recently defeated opposition party political leader.

By early Monday morning, the Smell-No-Taste Harbel RIA belt was already jam-packed beyond capacity with CDCians flooding the airport vicinity in their numbers, chanting anti-government slogans and hailing the return of their political leader.

Dressed in their customary blue and white regalia, CDCians hugged the moment, relishing the idea that their political leader would be returning home to lead them to a destiny that would ensure a return to the Executive Mansion in 2029.

But within the twinkling of an eye, as the RIA vicinity became overflooded with the heavy presence of Weah supporters who openly chanted anti-government slogans and taunted the police, the situation got out of hand. Already deployed, the police immediately attempted to set up barricades to control the crowd, but they were met with stiff resistance. And as the crowd resorted to stone-throwing, the police responded by firing tear gas to disperse the unruly crowd.

The melee ended as the police rounded up some CDCians, moments before former Weah disembarked from his flight and entered the RIA lounge. The situation would calm down when the former president’s welcoming entourage ushered him outside the airport lounge, where he abruptly addressed the media.

“I want to thank our supporters and all those that came here for this arrival ceremony. While I was away, I watched television and I saw that everyone that came here to usher us back to our own country, I saw them fighting. Why are we fighting? I put it on my page that I am coming back home. Be civil, and make sure that there is no trouble. This country belongs to all of us. I don’t think it was necessary today.

“But I am glad to be back home. I will make sure that CDC gets her party headquarters back. So, we don’t need to fight. We need to be civil, remain peaceful in this country because that’s the only way we can move forward.

“To all my fans and CDCians, what happened to us, don’t worry. George Manneh Weah is here. We’re going to restore and rebuild our party headquarters and that’s our goal, our mission. Our mission is not to come and block airport and police fighting. No! Leave them alone. We came to create this party for our people. We were able to do that. We are still able to sustain the political fight. So don’t worry. I am back home. We will build our party headquarters in a record time, and we will be ok.

“The only reason I went to Europe for was to make sure that my son Timothy find a club and then he went to Olympique Marseille, and I am back home to do my work.

“It feels good to be back home. I am a free man, leader of a political party. We have a lot of things to do,” former President Weah said,

An earlier call for order

It can be recalled, before his landing on Monday, President Weah had posted on his social media wall, admonishing his followers to exercise restraint and obey all security protocols.

“Fellow citizens and partisans, my arrival back to our country should not turn into a disaster.

“Friends, families, and supporters, please make this day a momentous occasion by respecting airport security arrival procedures. I learned that the Liberian security forces will be present.

“Please make today memorable and safe. Avoid provocation from anyone. Remain civil and peaceful. Hope to see everyone upon arrival. Drive safe and respect traffic safety. See you all soon.”

Weah’s post might have been driven by premonitions from some of his party officials who ominously predicted that the Police would have manhandled CDCians who turned out to welcome their political leader at the RIA.

CDCians React

Following the fracas that erupted between the police and CDCians who turned out to welcome their political leader, some aggrieved CDCians spoke with the media to express their frustration about Monday’s incident.

According to Elijah Tweah, a representative candidate for Montserrado County District #12, the action by the Liberia National Police is a campaign in favor of the CDC.

“They are campaigning for us for 2029. That is not an issue. We came here peacefully as citizens of the republic of Liberia. This is not a police barrack. If they want to turn the airport into a police barracks, they should tell us so they can remove the airport. We only came to receive our president.”

As for CDC strongman Alvin Wesseh, the Joseph Boakai government is playing with fire. “If they like it, they can arrest all of us. But in 2029 we will flog them. The only thing we can say is that if anything happens to George Weah, there will be political vibration. It is the plan of the government to assassinate the former president. Anything happens to former president Weah, Boakai will be responsible. The level of security I see here, if anything happens to George weah, there will be multiple vibrations. The government will face serious political actions for arresting our partisans who came to welcome our leader at the airport here today.”

Janga Kowo, CDC national chairman believes it was shameful how the government handled the RIA situation.

“It is very sad, shameful and unbecoming of government that they continue to intolerant. Government continues to demonstrate that it does not welcome democracy. The government continues to operate outside the rule of law. We are here in peace. This is not a demonstration. We are here peacefully to welcome our leader former President Weah and political leader of the CDC.

“We are beginning to see that the country is getting unsafe. If people assemble at the airport which has received a lot of Liberians, and the airport has never been restricted for Liberians coming into the country, so why a former president that should have free access to the country. What the police should have done was to monitor if you see anybody trying to misbehave. But they begin to fire teargas. It was unnecessary. We do not need tension in this country. The government is misbehaving.

“Wherever the police ask our people to be we will remain there. This is not a protest. This is not a demonstration. This is a peaceful assembly to welcome former President Weah.”

But amid the hue and cry from the CDCians over what they termed as a violation of their fundamental rights, one Victor Logan softly wondered about the raison d’etre of former President Weah’s return to Liberia on the very day the MCC delegation was arriving in Liberia to assess the country for a possible second compact funding.

“Why did former President Weah decide to return on the same day the MCC delegation is arriving in Monrovia?” Weah wondered.