MONROVIA – The ruling Unity Party (UP) has announced its intention to maintain current political alliances while exploring new collaborations ahead of Liberia’s 2029 elections, including with the newly formed Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) led by Nimba County Representative Musa Bility.
Unity Party National Chairman Luther Tarpeh, speaking on state radio, emphasized the importance of alliances in the party’s rise to power in 2023 and said they would remain central to the UP’s strategy moving forward. He encouraged the CMC and other potential partners to strengthen their organizational structures in preparation for meaningful collaboration.
However, the CMC has dismissed the UP’s overtures. In a press release issued Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the movement rejected claims suggesting that discussions between the two parties could soon take place. The statement described the UP chairman’s assertions as “speculative” and accused the ruling party of misunderstanding the very purpose of the CMC.
“The Citizens Movement for Change was founded with a single objective: to challenge the misrule of the forces represented by the UP,” the release read. It added that the movement’s formation was driven by the Unity Party’s failure to address pressing national concerns, including corruption and abuse of power, issues the CMC says have eroded public trust in government.
Smith M. Toby, Media Communications and Press Director of CMC, stated, “With this as our core purpose, why would we hold talks with the UP? The CMC cannot and will not engage in any dialogue with the UP, a party notorious for recklessly betraying Liberians’ dreams and aspirations.” The movement further warned that any potential dialogue with the ruling party would constitute a betrayal of its mission to “disrupt the status quo” and provide Liberians with a credible alternative to what it calls “a culture of corruption and deception.”
CMC also urged the UP leadership to “stop daydreaming and level up,” insisting that Liberians have already moved away from the party and its politics. The Unity Party has not yet issued an official response to the CMC’s statement, leaving the future of potential alliances unclear as the 2029 elections approach.
