MONROVIA – President George Weah has urged members and supporters of his party not to get distracted by the criticisms of the opposition political parties while insisting that what his government has done in two years, no government in Liberia has achieved such.
“Before we came to leadership, many came before us, some spent 57 years, some 12 years, some eight, some 10, some seven, but I can guarantee you fellow members of the mighty Coalition, in the two years that you’ve spent – and you can come out with any record – no other leadership has achieved that,” President Weah said.
He made the remarks at the party headquarters on Saturday during a program organized for the installation of the party’s new zonal heads.
He urged the zonal heads to remain focused and party-driven noting that, “When your government is not doing well, you’ll hear no noise, when your government is doing well, that’s the time you’ll hear noise because they don’t’ want you to be focused.”
President Weah also urged the zonal heads to put the party first and ensure that they command votes to ensure victory in the pending midterm senatorial election.
He said, “I want you to know that today, you took an oath to defend the leader, to defend your party, to defend your constitution that governs you. So, let me remind you, whether you’re angry or not, whether you’re not happy or not, the party remains supreme.”
He added, “At all times, you must make sure as zonal heads, whether you’re not happy, the party has to move on, the party is over individual aggrandizement, you must be party-driven because without the party there will not be zonal heads and the party is number one. This is why that is why when you decided that George Manneh Weah this time around will not be standard bearer, I did not run away from, I accepted that second position you gave me and I stayed with you because I knew that I took oath to be the leader of this noble party. No matter what the party must prevail.”
The Chairman of the CDC, Mubalh K. Morlu said the party was privileged to commission into service over 20,000 zonal leaders from 510 zones in the 17 districts of Montserrado County. He said their mandate is to ensure that Montserrado is reclaimed in the upcoming election.
“I want you to know that today, you took an oath to defend the leader, to defend your party, to defend your constitution that governs you. So, let me remind you, whether you’re angry or not, whether you’re not happy or not, the party remains supreme.”
– George Manneh Weah, Standard Bearer, Coalition for Democratic Change
The selection of zonal heads is the ruling party’s rebound strategy after the hotly contested by-elections in Montserrado County causing the CDC to lose its Senatorial seat for the first time since its formation. Senatorial Abraham Darius Dillon of the Liberty Party and by extension the Collaborating Political Parties got a landslide victory in last year’s senatorial by-election to replace the Late Senator Geraldine Doe-Sheriff who succumbed to breast cancer.
In that same by-election, the CDC struggled to maintain its District 15 seat who was once held by the Late Adolph Lawrence who died in a fatal car crash along the Robertsfield highway.
Based on the CDC’s poor performance in that by-election, Chairman Morlu opted not to field a candidate in the Grand Cape Mount senatorial to replace the Late Edward Dagoseh.
Chairman Morlu said at the time that in the absence of the party’s participation, “the National Executive Committee of will establish a 15-man Strategic Recovery Committee (SRC), which will lead a three-month analysis, investigation and scrutiny of the CDC’s recent dismal performance in the Montserrado County by-elections. This, he said, would inform the party’s decision and strategies for the 2020 mid-term election and strengthen the party’s legislative performance.”
He added, “As the party vigorously pursues its path to recovery, we shall remain focused on a cohesive rebuilding strategy, to include efforts aimed at strengthening the unity of the Coalition and accompanied alliances, and adopt programs and policies that target the economic and academic empowerment of young cadres and members of the tripartite Coalition for Democratic Change,” Morlu said.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica over the weekend, Morlu said the installation of the over 20,000 zonal heads is a result of the consultations carried out in all districts of Montserrado in order to recalibrate the party’s strength and ideals.
“These zonal heads we commissioned have the mandate to reclaim Montserrado County,” he said.
He thanked Thomas Fallah, the organizing committee and its officials, the National Executive Committee, district coordinators for putting hands on deck to ensure that the CDC pull the largest zonal representation ever in Liberian politics.
The program was attended by all the hierarchies of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) including Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, standard-bearer of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) that has had some qualms with the CDC over the last few months.
The NPP has been insisting that the other two members of the CDC – Liberia People Democratic Party and the Congress for Democratic Change – refrain from fielding a candidate in counties where the NPP has an incumbent.
But Saturday’s program portrayed a rather harmonious relationship amongst the leadership of the tripartite arrangement as Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor was seen dancing with President Weah to his favorite ‘Born to win’ song by D-12.