-Re-inventing Past Political Slaughterhouse; The Echo Of Terror; “If Your Ma Didn’t Born You Good; Then Get On The Street” Syndrome
MONROVIA-Desperate to the core to see himself become Liberia’s next president at all cost, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings has unleashed his ‘political sour grape.’
Despite his poor result in the 2017 elections, coupled with his current verbosity tailored to the sheer arrogance of defiance as a team player, Mr. Cummings went ahead with his rally
While pundits believe that politics makes strange bedfellows, the lead for the political team formulated by Cummings to propel him to state power upon carving a slogan as a platform for the December 17, 2022 protest dubbed, “We Taya Suffering,” portrays the existing reality in the country; however, the lead campaign team previous involvement with two past administrations in different capacities has defaced the ingredient of the message, as tons of criticisms and massive condemnations have overwhelmed the catch-credo based on the questionable previous records.
Firstly, it was alleged that as an adviser to jailed president Charles Ghankay Taylor whose leadership is on record for telling would-be protesters at the time, to dare venture in the streets if their mothers did not bear them good; he (Lewis G. Brown) was Taylor’s adviser; and while serving as Information Minster in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s government, allegedly took bread from employees’ mouths (dismissed/sacked) thereby rendering many breadwinners, dependents and siblings to reportedly face harsh living condition(s).
Now, as the lead campaign team for Cummings’ election for the presidency in 2023, Mr. Brown, despite the timeliness of his message, according to political observers, is mostly being perceived by many including critics and detractors, as a two-faced-man who trust finds uneasy to accommodate, went ahead with it.
So, with confidence no longer at ease with him, he mounted the podium to speak of what he described as the suffering of Liberians.
Based on his past records in governments; and Cummings with his desperation to be president no matter how he ends there, many believe he chose the wrong time of the year to incorporate Mr. Brown and others on board.
We Taya Suffering
With amazing controversial developments that have plagued the cardinal nucleus of the December 17, 2022 rally characterized by proposed numbers (100,000) of people to show up at the declared rally, the number did not reach that level.
Rather, it hovers around two thousand people. The numbers previously expected, seem to be a total charade and fell too far below expectation. Some described it as a political heartbreak and a sad failure.
At the same time, the psychological fashion demonstrated with only Cunnings’ portrait engraved on T-shirts to the exclusion of other stakeholders based on deliberate no-consultation by Team Cummings; equally took away immense, and most needed in terms of legitimate constituents.
Many people snubbed it as well. For instance, the Liberty Party headed by Senator Nyongblee Karngar Lawrence did not attend as well as some members from the All-Liberian Political Party of Mr. Benoni Urey. Also, some Unity Party members headed by the former vice president, Joseph Boakai were not seen.
“The rally is not for everyone to attend. If you say the rally is for us, why do you print only T-shirts with Mr. Cummings photo? I think they just supposed to print we Taya logo as some people have,” Andrew Williams, a bike rider said.
According to our Reporter who covered the event Saturday, December 17, 2022 in Paynesville, the Government of Liberia through the Liberia National Police provided access for those who were going to grace the rally organized by the Collaborating Political Parties comprised of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and that of a fraction of Liberty Party (LP).
“It is true that things are not easy here. But the way they did the rally, made many Liberians stay away. Right now, some of the people thought that there was going to be confusion; if you want to do anything, wait for 2023 but not now,” he added.
Our reporter observed that the streets leading to the rally ground were not really parked as expected.
“Look, let us tell all those people in the shops outside there to come here. We are looking for numbers. This crowd here is too small. Go now and see.”
One ANC supporter was seen telling others to encourage those in T-shirts to come to the ground as their absence was not good for the event.
Another man was seen with one walking clutch giving instructions to the mobilizers to go tell everyone to move closer.
“Gentlemen, do not just stand here. Mr. Cummings will soon speak. So, let us get outside there and tell our people to come here. They did not come here to drink. We are looking for numbers,” he said.
But one of them, Alfred Smith told him, “I am tired to go and bring them here. Let the other people go and do it. The people should know that they came here for reason.”
But despite the low numbers, the organizers went ahead to address their supporters. Speeches after speeches were carried out. Top officials mounted the podium and spoke.
The former minister of Information and former Liberian Ambassador to the United Nations Lewis Brown said the intent of the rally was achieved.
According to him, the message went well to the world and it was glaring that Liberians were suffering.
He said they assembled at the sports Complex SKD to remind president George Weah of his promise to the Liberia People in 2018 that they were not going to be spectators in their economy. But today, the story has changed he said.
The Stadium is where president Weah was inducted into office and made a speech that he would try to improve the lives of Liberians.
Mr. Brown snubbed his critics who said he was not the right messenger to deliver such a message due to his close associates with two past presidents-Charles Taylor and madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
He added, that Liberians were tired of suffering for not being able to send their children to school, for not being able to go to the hospital, and the John F. Kennedy hospital has been given a pseudo-name-Just for Killing. He said this was regrettable
He said with all of the intimidations from the government to discourage Liberians who are suffering from turn out in their numbers did not actually work in his view; Liberians have told the world that they are suffering in their country.
During the rally the Standard bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) Mr. Alexander Cummings said it is glaring that Liberians needed change.
Mr. Cummings called on Liberians to make president Weah a one-time president and elect him to restore the lost dignity of the country.
He said the choice was with Liberians to decide either the past, the present, or the future. But the future to change president Weah was the only choice for them.
According to them (pundits), Cummings using his image as the face of the rally, immediately shut all the attractive doors on all other opposition parties, civil society organizations including stakeholders.
Moreover, Miss Josephine Kumba Yaltezo, a businesswoman at the Omega Market expressed regret that even though the message of the rally was a hard fact of reality, how did Cummings fail through his team to turn out the 100,000 people declared even when all odds are against President George M. Weah beginning with the rice wahala including the increased in the price; the longevity of his troubling absence from his constitutional obligation to the state and people; quite frankly, suggests to me that Cummings is not in touch with the people politically.
Payne Danzine a social worker in Thinker Village who attended the called rally told this paper that he was ashamed and taken aback to see how poorly attended the important occasion was due to the turnout and asked what actually is going wrong with Cummings in getting his political acts together; having been heavily graded for almost being a declared corporate angel who knows how to handle and utilize meaningfully.
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