Nathaniel McGill of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), received an impromptu honoring ceremony from thousands of supporters in Bong County over the weekend, overshadowing the ruling Unity Party’s long-planned homecoming and fundraising rally in Monrovia.
The rally in Gbarnga, Bong County’s provisional capital, drew elders, chiefs, women, students, and community stakeholders. The massive turnout brought commercial and social activities in the city to a standstill, as residents gathered to celebrate McGill and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
By contrast, the Unity Party’s homecoming rally in Monrovia—attended by President Joseph Boakai and senior officials—struggled to match the scale of the Bong County event. Despite trucking in supporters from Bong, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, and Grand Gedeh counties, the Monrovia gathering was eclipsed by the CDC’s show of strength in central Liberia.
The Unity Party had announced its “Return Home” rally for December 6, promoting the event nationwide. Yet social media was dominated by images and videos from Gbarnga, where the CDC demonstrated its numerical power and diverted public attention away from Monrovia.
During the Bong County ceremony, elders, chiefs, and traditional leaders presented a petition urging former President George Manneh Weah to contest the 2029 presidential election. The petition described Weah as the country’s “only hope” for progress, criticizing the Unity Party’s “rescue mission” under President Boakai as a failure.
Senator McGill expressed gratitude to Bong County residents, the CDC’s local leadership, and supporters for the honor. He also accepted the petition on behalf of Weah, assuring the crowd that the former president would “retake the Executive Mansion in 2029.”
