ZWEDRU, Grand Gedeh County — June 27, 2026 – The Congress for Democratic Change marked its 22nd anniversary and Militant Month celebration Saturday in Zwedru with a show of opposition unity, as former President George Manneh Weah and Alternative National Congress Political Leader Alexander B. Cummings delivered blistering critiques of the Joseph Boakai administration and called for a united front ahead of the 2029 elections.
The event drew several opposition figures, including former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor of the NPP, Musa Hassan Bility of the CMC, Simeon Freeman of the MPC, Benoni Urey of the ALP, Dee-Maxwell Kemayah of MOVEE, Senator Thomas Yaya Nimely, former Justice Minister Kabineh Ja’neh, and former Finance Minister Amara Konneh.
Weah: “The Road to 2029 Begins Today”
Addressing partisans, CDC Standard Bearer George Weah said the movement was “born in the hearts of ordinary people” 22 years ago and remains “a revolution of hope.” Weah, who noted he celebrated 33 years of marriage to former First Lady Clar Marie Weah on Thursday, thanked Grand Gedeh County for hosting the event and praised the presence of opposition leaders as proof that “political leaders who seek the best interest of Liberia can and must work together.”
Defending his presidency, Weah said his administration prioritized “lifting ordinary people out of poverty” through road construction, market buildings, housing units, and affordable education. He accused the Unity Party government of “rolling back democratic gains,” citing alleged persecution of political opponents, disregard for Supreme Court rulings, security force brutality, and border encroachment in Lofa County.
“The Unity Party government, led by Joseph Boakai, has undermined rule of law,” Weah said. “National security has been compromised with foreign troops occupying Liberia’s sovereign territory… Liberia has turned into a narco state with officials leading the drug trafficking network being shielded.” Former President Weah declared the CDC “alive, united, organized, and energized” and said the party is “coming back to power.” “This is not the time for division. This is the time for mobilization. The road to 2029 begins today,” he told supporters.
Cummings: “Our Strength Lies in Opposition Solidarity”
Delivering the keynote address, ANC Political Leader Alexander B. Cummings congratulated the CDC on its anniversary, calling its 2004 founding “a pivotal moment” that “gave voice to the voiceless, hope to the hopeless.” Drawing parallels between his own rise from Point Four to a global executive role and Weah’s path from Clara Town to the presidency, Cummings said both were “overlooked, underestimated, and treated like outsiders” by political elites.
“This moment is about triumph, resilience, perseverance of people overlooked and underestimated,” Cummings said. He invoked the Liberian proverb, “a tree may grow into many branches, it is never separated from its roots,” to stress that despite party differences, “Liberia remains our common denominator.”
Cummings outlined what he called “inconvenient truths” facing Liberia:
- A Government for the Few: He argued that successive administrations, including the current UP government, have prioritized elites over citizens, deepening “tribal cleavages and partisan extremism.”
- Weak Institutions: He cited “deliberate, illegal termination of tenured officials,” disregard for court rulings, “daylight political witch-hunts,” and “selective fights against corruption.” He questioned government actions in the Capitol fire case and the removal of a sitting House Speaker.
- Sustained Poverty and Inequality: Despite a $1.2 billion national budget, Cummings said over 50% of Liberians live below the poverty line, rural poverty stands at 81%, and nearly half of households are food insecure. “These are not statistics. They are the human faces of Liberia’s failure,” he said.
Calls for Accountability, Investigation
Cummings urged opposition parties to “close ranks” and demanded an “independent and transparent investigation” into the recent $19 million drug bust at Roberts International Airport, vowing to engage international partners to ensure accountability. He also called for a probe into the “Foya Project” and recent tensions at the Liberian-Guinean border. “We must insist on the independence of our judiciary, and check the growing excesses and intolerance of our Legislature,” he said. “Legislative tyranny is just as dangerous to democracy as Executive tyranny.”
Addressing speculation about his presidential ambitions, Cummings said, “The kind of change we seek is bigger than any one person… If I have to be the driver or the car boy to get us to our destination of a better Liberia, I will.” He closed by calling on all Liberians to act: “Hardship knows no party lines… Together, we can replace the failed Rescue Mission in 2029 and begin the mission to FIX Liberia.”
The anniversary celebration comes amid heightened political tension ahead of the 2029 general elections. The CDC lost power to President Joseph Boakai’s Unity Party in the 2023 elections. Both Weah and Cummings have signaled intent to unseat the UP, with Saturday’s event showcasing a rare public alignment of major opposition figures.
