LIBERIA – Liberian President George Weah is out of the country for over two weeks now. He 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.
The Liberian President’s long stay abroad has angered some Liberians, including Weah’s own supporters who are demanding his return home.
Recently, a staunch opponent of Weah and his government, Montserrado County District Number Ten Lawmaker, Yekeh Kokubah led a convoy of motorbikes in major streets in Monrovia, calling for the immediate return of President Weah.
Ahead of the convoy of bikes was a pickup truck, mounted with loudspeakers blasting anti-government songs; while the lawmakers repeatedly announced President Weah had fled the country.
Some of the 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. Others 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. The groups who requested not to be named indicated that their plans are in the advanced stage of being implemented.
