PHOTO: Alex Cummings (with Lewis Brown in the background on stage) and the crowd that turned out outside the SKD Sports Stadium
By Kelvin Gonlah gonlahkelvin88@gmail.com
With the Liberia National Police (LNP) and state security forces beefed up with a vow to provide the needed corridor for protection of protesters, opposition leader Alexander B. Cummings’s much publicized December 17 “we taya suffering” rally to protest against hardships in the country has passed off peacefully outside Monrovia.
As planned, the CPP rally, which was held over on Saturday, December 17, 2022 in front of the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia, with the Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Cummings repeated his chorus that his opposition alliance is determined to make President George Manneh Weah “a one-term President” amidst cheers from scores of his CPP supporters who attended the weekend protest rally.
In the crowd were aggrieved Liberians from Paynesville and Montserrado County gathered together in numbers with some Religious leaders, women grouping, and other organizations and Executive members of the CPP to support the much-publicized demonstration to exercise their right to peaceful assembly guaranteed by Article 17 of the Liberian constitution.
“All persons, at all times, in an orderly and peaceable manner, shall have the right to assemble and consult upon the common good, to instruct their representatives, to petition the Government or other functionaries for the redress of grievances and to associate fully with others or refuse to associate in political parties, trade unions and other organizations,” says Article 17 of Liberia’s 1986 constitution.
A few days ago, the Spokesman of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) bragged that the “We Are Taya Suffering Rally” was anticipating 150,000 members to turnout. But the actual number of people who showed up for Saturday’s rally was far, far lower, some estimate putting the turnout to up to fourteen thousand (14,000) people. Opposition CPP’s Dec. 17 Protest Rally Gets More Groups On Board – News Public Trust
CPP Standard Bearer Alexander B. Cummings speaking to scores of Liberians at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, said Liberians should rally their supporters to Make President Weah a one-term president. Saying that the decision is in the hands of the majority of Liberians so they should widen their minds and be decisive in the upcoming elections.
The CPP Standard Bearer Cummings said that Liberians gathered together to resonate the message to the government of Liberia that they are stay suffering, from the mismanagement of their country, they are Taya of not able to pay their children’s school fees, poor hospitals, starvation, and many other he named.
Mr. Cummings, the former Coca Cola Africa executive, told the crowd that if he wins the presidential election in October next year, he will provide good governance to Liberia, his leadership will work hard to restore the rule of law, restore the economic growth of Liberia, and create jobs for the young people of Liberia and the entire country. He added that his leadership will also look after persons with disabilities and the Liberian women who are the foundation of Liberia.
“If you want us to work, and sacrifice so we can change our country for the benefit of every Liberian, please come and support us and let’s make this man a one-term President. The decision is in your hands, the choice is up to you, you can choose the past, you can choose the present or you can choose the future, the choice is acclaim and I know you will choose the future,” said Cummings.
“I want us to commit to working hard and making the sacrifice to change our country, I want us to commit that we will not keep doing the same and accept different results, the president has failed us, and we will not give him another chance again, so I know as we leave here today, we will remain committed to changing our country for the benefit of everybody, and I commit to you that we will work hard every day to not to disappoint the Liberian people, and to change our country, this is about you, you are the face of this rally, you are the face of Liberia and we together much change our country,” the CPP leader assured supporters, some ten months away from presidential and legislatives elections.
Brown on Liberians ‘braving threat’
The Spokesman of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Lewis Brown stated that Liberians braved the threat and fear from their government. Mr. Brown said that too many are going to bed with hunger, too many cannot find jobs, too many cannot school fees, too many cannot pay rent, and too many go to hospital and spend more time trying to register because they don’t have money to get the treatment that they deserve from their hospitals, too many have seen JFK live out towards people’s fear just for killing rather than a place for healing.
“We have come to where the President promised us that he was going to end the suffering of the people, this is where President Weah promised us that he would lead us to a better Liberia, this is where President Weah promised us that he ended corruption. So we have come to where President Weah made his promise, he has come to tell him that he brought that promise to the people,” said the Team Cummings head.
ANC Spokesman said over the last two weeks, those who referred to themselves as oppositions have no courage, they are even afraid to take a position on behalf of the people. He said they have also come to tell the Liberian people that even though they are not courageous but they have a new platform to lead the Liberian people to a better future. Adding that this is the key reason why they gathered at the SKD Sports Complex.
In remarks, the National Chairman of the new CPP, Musa Hassan Bility said it’s time for Liberians to see for themselves who is willing to speak for them, who is willing to brave everything that they have done to be at the Samuel Kanyon Doe to petition the government of Liberia, amid the extreme poverty they have engulfed over the years, who is willing to provide an alternative leadership for Liberia.
Mr. Bility, who is the embattled Chairman of the opposition Liberty Party, spoke against the silence of those who want to lead Liberia, and they are prepared to lead the Liberian people.
“We have reached a point where it’s up to us now, not to the United States, not to ECOWAS, not the United Nations but to us to decide the kind of leadership we want for our country. It’s for us to choose, whether we are good where we are or whether we intend to choose a path that will take us from this dark period in our history to a brighter future. All we have done for you, the CPP, is to present to you Mr. Alexander B. Cummings as a new alternative for we think,” the CPP National Chairman asserted.
However, he said the gathering was meant for Liberians to be decisive and change the narrative and choose a new Liberia, according to him, they gathered because of the opposition that has chosen to be silent amid everything that is going on in Liberia. He said that it is the only alternative left to save Liberians from their leaders is Alexander B. Cummings.
“You have 10 months to make a choice, you have ten months to decide the kind of Liberia you want to have, you have 10 months to whether or not your country will be respected in the International Community, you have 10 months to decide what kind of Legislature you want to have, you have 10 months to decide to take your country to a new height or to continue the misery we have, the choice is yours”, he added.
Controversial Lawmaker Yekeh Kolubah shows up
Also speaking at the rally, the District # 10 lawyer maker, Yekeh Kolubah said that the rally is successful alleging that the government of Liberia paid Stanton water spoon, the CEO of Spoon FM, and some opposition members installed fear in supporters, not to turn out for the rally. He also called on oppositions to come together and put aside their differences and work in the interest of the Liberian people.
Mr. Kolubah encouraged members of the CP P and its supporters that they can make a change in Liberia, adding that the only way they can do it is to hold together, together to restore, and together they can make the change.
“We have to be strong, I don’t care what you do you will die, you scare you will die, you brave you will die. Look, these people want to make us afraid to rake this election, it will not happen. That’s why I told the Chief of Staff that you making fun. When people throw rocks, I will throw rocks. I have been very clear with them, as long as these people cannot arrest these people that neutralize the opposition, I will not respect the Justice Minister anymore. I declared a vote of no confidence in him. We were in the chamber, I declared the president wanted and I told the people that if anybody sees him, let them arrest him, and bring him to District # 10. If throw you rock, I will throw a rock, if you shoot a gun, I will shoot a gun,” the Montserrado County District # 10 lawmaker asserted.
Indigenous people’s rights raised
Agitation for the struggle of indigenous people’s rights was blended with the suffering of the Liberian people at the “we taya suffering” protest rally outside the SKD stadium.
A group called, the National Indigenous People of Liberia was one of the organizers of Saturday’s rally.
Its National Chairman, Reuben Lakpawolo took the stage to explain their reason for being part of the rally, talking about what he called, the resources that the United Nations have declared.
According to him, the SKD Sports Complex is part of the indigenous people’s resources and condemned the situation with poor health facilities in the country.
Mr. Lakpawolo said that the indigenous people’s resources have been taken away, and the indigenous people are suffering that is the key reason they are part of the “We Are Taya Suffering Rally”.
“It may sound funny, but the United Nations’ 143 countries around the globe declared the right of the indigenous people, let me inform you about it today. President Weah came into our midst like an indigenous son of this soil but he has proved to us that he is not a typical indigenous son of this soil. I can tell you for free, George Weah’s behavior towards this country has provided to us that he is not a truthful son of this soil. In many instances, George Weah has provided to us that he has put our resources in our enemy’s hands,” said Liberia’s Indigenous group leader, Reuben Lakpawolo.