By Othello B. Garblah
Despite a crowded political field, supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change or CDC believe that they have the right message in place to enable them to secure first-round victory comes October 10.
The party has painted all its campaign banners and posters with the message of a resounding first-round victory, though critics say that is highly unlikely. The Liberian constitution requires that a candidate obtain 50 plus one votes to be declared winner of an election.
President George Weah is seeking reelection under the slogan “Hope You Can Depend On”, while his main rivals, former Coca-Cola Executive Alexander B. Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) and former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai of the Unity Party are running on the slogans of “Fixer and Rescue” respectively.
A week before the campaign kicked off on August 5, President Weah’s CDC locked down Monrovia in what the party said was a thank-you ceremony for the president for job well done over the last 5 years of his presidency. Observers say that the thank you rally was intended to send a message to rival candidates that Mr. Weah still has overwhelming support in the battleground county of Montserrado, which has a voting population of over 900,000 people.
However, the high turned out was met with mixed reactions with many arguing that those numbers could not be translated into votes, describing it as a crowd politics that cannot be solely relied upon for CDC to make such a bold statement for a first round victory.
Opponents of the CDC have continued to argue that the ruling establishment is overloaded with excess baggage which has in its contents- massive corruption, strangulated economy, human rights abuses, and failed promises.
But the CDC has remained unwavering, insisting that members of the opposition have refused to accept the unimaginable performance of President Weah. CDCians claimed that some members of the opposition bloc had marked President Weah as a failure, but he has surprised them with his performance over time.
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President Weah, a kru by tribe hails from Grand Kru County. He is the first most popularly elected Liberian of tribal lineage who holds absolutely no connection to Liberia’s traditional political super-structure-the Americo-Liberian elite that rule Liberia for over 100 years.
A footballer by training, he came to politics in 2004 after being petitioned. He was twice unsuccessful as a presidential and vice-presidential candidate. His subsequent election in 2017 is viewed by many as a blow to the political and business interests of Liberia’s traditional politic elites, becoming president in spite of and despite their heated opposition.
Argument on performance
Despite his widely criticized salary harmonization policy, CDCians believe that President Weah has outperformed in the face of global economic challenges.
They named the construction of the Military 14 Hospital in Margibi and 8 hospitals under construction in the Southeast. 100-bed Emirate Hospital in Gbarpolu and newly constructed hospital in Rivercess as some of his achievements in under 6 years.
The new Redemption Hospital which is still under construction and increasing doctors’ monthly pay from 700 dollars to 2000 as well as adding 2500 health workers to payroll even after donor health fund dried up and training of 19 specialist doctors as some major achievements in the health sector.
Weah’s free education policy, and free WASSCE as well as building 28 high schools and 18 early childhood schools around the country are achievements CDCians say are under the belt of Mr. Weah.
Proponents of Weah’s first-round victory also list improvements in electricity connectivity, roads, and stable exchange rate as some of the performances that could see him through the finishing line in the first round. -To be continued.
