Go Beyond Mere Warning and Condemnation, Amb. Weah

Upon his return to Liberia recently, the Political Leader of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change or CDC, Ambassador George Weah warned officials and partisans of his party against utterances that are inimical to peace and stability in the country. Weah’s warning came against the back-drop of calls attributed to a few executives of the CDC for the resignation of the President of Liberia, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, as well as statements that some inner-cycles of her administration were contemplating her assassination upon her return to Liberia.

Among his party’s executives, he named the Vice Chairman for Operations, Mulbah Mulu and Youth League Chairman Jefferson Korgee, further warning that the CDC would not tolerate any undemocratic action. He urged CDCians to be focused mostly on the party’s victory and how they can be  organized and coordinated for the 2014 Mid-Term Senatorial  and 2017 General and Presidential Elections other than concentrating on unconstitutional means of ascending to state power.

Weah’s statement to his officials and partisans continues to be greeted with commendations from some well-meaning Liberians; and while we, too, welcome such move, it would also be more impart-making if the CDC Political Leader were to go beyond mere warning. Just as  Weah is aware of the negative  and irresponsible attitudes of a few of his most senior officials, especially Chairman George Solo, Vice Chairman Mulbah Mulu, as well as Youth League Chairman Jefferson Korgee,  so do other Liberians- something which has, from time to time, portray the CDC as a violent political party.

Other than just warning and condemning these fellows who continue to taint the image of the party, it would also be in the supreme interest of the party for its Executive Committee led by its political leader to reprimand them in a manner and form that will further deter them and their likes from causing “trouble” for the Wean and the CDC come 2014 and 2017.

In as much CDCians and many other Liberians consider the party as the ‘biggest’ in the Liberian political system; such characterization must be manifested in the behavior or attitudes of its leaders. In view of the foregoing, leaders of the CDC must set good examples for others to follow, i.e, they must exhibit the highest degree of responsibility to necessitate the respect, support and votes from undecided Liberians and CDCians who have left the party. It is no secret that Chairman George Solo, Vice Chairman Mulbah, Youth League Chairman Korgee, among a few others, continue to exhibit behavior/attitudes not befitting good leadership qualities.

Unfortunately, these leaders of the CDC have miserably failed to learn from the examples set by their own Political Leader, Mr. George Manneh Weah that won him five international prestigious awards while pursuing his international football career in Europe. Such failure only means their unpreparedness to help George and the CDC toward state power through the democratic process. And the fact that they will be persistently at the core of violent threats and calls for President Sirleaf’s resignation means their disbelief in Constitutional means of ousting an incumbent leadership.

Perhaps, that’s why Ambassador Weah reminded them about the Constitutional nature of the leadership of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

However, while we hail Mr. Weah for exhibiting such patriotism, the need for going beyond mere warming and condemnation cannot be over-emphasized. Weah and the CDC must institute punitive actions that would  not only serve as a deterrent to Solo, Morlu, Korgee and their likes, but a few others who would to mortgage the image and chances of the party in the eyes of Liberians.