Liberian president’s long stay abroad is being condemned in many quarters in the country, with a member of the House Representatives of the National Legislature composing a song: “George Weah Runs Away.”
President George Weah’s long absence led to one opposition figure asking if Liberia is running on “autopilot.”
Weah went abroad at the end of October for a string of political gatherings in numerous countries — and to watch his footballer son represent the United States at the World Cup in Qatar.
Since then, the president — himself a former football star — has not been seen in his homeland where people are battling soaring prices and shortages of basic goods. Even those with an understanding of the demands of top-flight diplomacy, or the enduring love of the beautiful game, are beginning to wonder.
Opposition politician Lewis Browne says not only is this a national and international embarrassment but that President Weah continues to insult the intelligence of the Liberian people with lies.
Browne notes that the shameful truth is that Mr. Weah and some of his officials are actually on safari and having a good time, at the expense of the suffering Liberian people.
While they are jolly-jollying many Liberians are becoming increasingly hopeless and going to bed hungry at night – many parents cannot pay school fees; many qualified people are being forced to beg because they cannot find work to do, he said.
In the case of Montserrado District #10 lawmaker Kolubah, he has purchased a sound system that is mounted on the back of a pickup truck-blasting anti-George Weah music.
The truck is driven through major streets with hundreds of motorbikes accompanying; telling people that their president has absconded.
Weah has shared pictures and video of himself with his son in Qatar on Twitter, speaking of being a “proud daddy” as the US national team qualified for the knockout stages.
But images of Weah enjoying himself in the stands in Qatar — where he is a “guest of honour” — while Liberians struggle have not gone down well with many compatriots venting their anger on social media.
“This one here has passed the limit now… who (has) he left us with?” A international media quoted a 23-year-old Abraham Kaneh in the capital Monrovia. “He’s not going to do the work of the Liberian people. He went to do the work of his own son. He did not go on our plea, he’s gone to see other friends,” said fellow Monrovian Momo Fully, according to AP News.
“Weah continues to insult the intelligence of Liberians and exhibit a high degree of don’t-care attitude by abandoning the entire country and citizens to witness soccer matches,” said another Weah opponent.
But for Rep. Yekeh Kolubah, he is taking the campaign against Weah one step further – to the streets – leading an anti-George Weah bike protest in Monrovia.
The President had earlier requested senate approval for 23 days to travel to France, Morocco, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. And two weeks later, the Liberian President requested the senate for an additional 25 days’ extension.
It was rumored, the Liberian leader carried over US$1m for the trip; even though Finance Minister Samuel Tweah denied this on a local radio but refused to say how much the President’s trip would cost Liberian taxpayers.
Rep. Yekeh Kolubah”s convoy of bikes and trucks is now gaining traction in the communities. As the convoy rolled slowly, loudspeakers mounted blasting anti-government songs; while the lawmaker repeatedly announced on the microphone that President Weah had fled the country.
Some of the hundreds of bike riders would also be heard singing and making disparaging comments about their President and his CDC Government.
Some of them sang and said: “The President has run away from the country, Liberia has no President, etc.”
There have been public disquiets about Weah’s long stay abroad, but Representative Kolubah is the first person to lead a street demonstration against the President’s long stay from the country.
Some onlookers were excited about Kolubah’s bike protest and asked him to continue. Some vowed to join him in subsequent days.
Pro-Weah supporters called the lawmaker “Useless and unserious.”
Meanwhile, a couple of civil society groups have revealed they are also planning street protests in the coming days to demand the president return home without delay.
