Harper City, Maryland County – It is said putting a voice to your soul helps you to let go of the negative energy of fear and regret. Perhaps this could be true of a few supporters of President George Manneh Weah in Harper, Maryland County, who, in two years of his administration, have communicated to him via FrontPageAfrica how disappointed they are in his performance.
Some of the President’s once strong supporters in this southeastern county did not only express their disapproval of his administration, but also regretted voting for and mobilizing other citizens to vote for him in the 2017 Presidential Election.
For instance, a lady who described herself as one of the President’s core supporters, Dorothy Dweh in Watochen, a populated town on the suburb of Harper, asked the President to perish the thought of running again in 2023.
Ms. Dweh argued that since assuming power in January 2018, the living condition of the over 22,884 Marylanders, who voted for him in the Presidential Runoff election, have become worse under the President’s leadership.
From alleged indiscipline in the President’s government, to the Herculean task of defending his administration, and so on, Dweh said the Weah government has done badly by regularly feeding the people with “impotent” excuses.
“My prayer is that he will find the courage and spirit to quit the stage,” she said.
She added: “Some of us are worried that the mandate of six years is more than 12 years for us!”
Jerryline Gibson, a resident of Cavalla, also in the county, said there would not have been the need for openly complaining to the President if he had met the people’s expectations.
Citing flaws including the lack of will to adequately fight corruption, high unemployment, Gibson said President Weah might not have a chance in the 2023 presidential election should he contest.
“Things are difficult for us in this part of the country. We don’t know how others are making life for themselves in other parts of the country. The trust we put in the President has been betrayed,” she said.
“People are dissatisfied; they are not happy. My opinion is the hardship we are facing now might shape public opinions about the candidacy of President Weah in the 2023 election.
“But, apart from the way people are complaining, the way to judge a candidate’s chances in an election is his/her track record if he/she has not held a public office before. If he/she had been in office before, his/her performance would be the yardstick for voting for him/her again.”
Another Marylander, Everlyn Quitee, a resident of Rock Town, said, “As for President Weah, I have never seen a government that offers no hope to the electorates as his. Our economy is worse than what it was under Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s regime.”
Continuing, she added: “The electorates are better informed today. I think this would reflect in next elections in 2023.”
Quitee advised President Weah to change his leadership style to make a better impact within the next few years.
In the meantime, Dweh is not the only “core supporter” of the President to complain or publicly criticize his actions.
A very vocal supporter of the President and member of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Klatoo Agbutu, asked Weah to change his leadership style, warning that if he did not, Liberians will “change” him in 2023.
Blaming the President for appointing wrong people in his Cabinet, listening to wrong pieces of advice, among others, Agbutu said the President is on borrowed time.
“He needs to do more in his remaining four years or else he won’t be re-elected,” he said.
Just like Quitee, Agbutu cautioned Weah against seeking a second term, warning that he risked being “blown away shamefully” by the wind of change which he set off when he defeated former Vice President and standard bearer of Unity Party, Joseph Boakai.
Agbutu said, “President Weah must wake up and sit up immediately. Heaven demands Weah, our President, to change all those who are holding him backward. If he will not change them, he will be changed.
“Change or you will be changed; after all, you were the one who introduced change as your mantra.”
“The President should know that there is trouble; if things continue like this, in the next election, nobody will vote for him,” he added.
Saturday Harmon, a resident and senior citizen of Worton Town, viewed people’s criticisms of the President as a means of expressing their views to the government, adding that they are a good way of holding the government accountable.
“They have the right to express themselves of discontentment with those in power. And most importantly, the media also have the right to hold the government accountable,” he said.
Another one-time die-hard supporter of President Weah prior to the 2017 elections is a female chief in Cavalla Town, Oyeh Bryant. But her support for him, has dwindled in the last two years. According to Chief Bryant, the President has made the economy worse than he met it.
“I think the President should cultivate the habit of listening. If he does that, there won’t be any need for open criticisms.”