By Sidiki Fofana
The Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) remains one of Liberia’s strongest political movements, perhaps the strongest political organization to emerge since the restoration of democratic governance in 2005.
Yet its greatness cannot be measured solely by the election it has won, although electoral success certainly matters. Nor is it great simply because of its large numerical base, heavily dominated by young people, a reflection of the party’s longevity and future potential. The true measure of the CDC’s greatness lies in its ability to survive adversity, withstand internal divisions, and continue shaping Liberia’s political landscape despite repeated challenges.
The truth is there could have been no ANC without the CDC. There could have been no RAP without the CDC. There could have been no NIMBO, no STAND, no CMC, no CPP of Henry Costa and numerous other political formations without men and women who once called the CDC their political home. Across the years, individuals nurtured within the movement rose to become leaders of different organizations, pursuing different visions and political paths.
In that sense, the CDC is the tree, while these various organizations and movements (individuals) are its branches.
Yet every student of nature understands that a tree is not complete without its branches. The branches give life to the tree’s purpose. They bear fruit, provide shade, and extend the tree’s influence far beyond the strength of the trunk alone. A wise cultivator therefore protects not only the tree itself but also its branches. Such cultivator desires growth, unity, and the preservation of every healthy limb.
This reality presents an important strategic lesson for those who aspire to lead the CDC in the post-Weah era.
The next generation of CDC leadership should make it a priority to restore the party to its fullest strength, not merely by preserving the trunk, but by reconnecting with the branches. Political reconciliation, inclusion, and coalition-building should become central objectives. Those who once shared a common political home should not automatically be viewed as permanent adversaries simply because their paths have diverged.
The future greatness of the CDC may depend less on how many enemies it identifies and more on how many former allies, partners, and branches it can bring back into a common vision.
For if the CDC is indeed the tree, then its fullest strength will be realized when as many healthy branches as possible are once again connected, flourishing, and bearing fruit together.
I am aware, however, that achieving such reunification during the Weah era may be difficult, if not impossible.
Former President George Weah remains an iconic figure within the CDC. To many supporters, he is not merely a political leader but a symbol of hope, struggle, and achievement. Some admirers describe him as the “greatest Liberian to have ever lived. ” Others, in moments of political devotion, have deified him, elevating him to the realm of divinity, declaring that ‘Weah is Jesus.’”
There is therefore no question that the man, the leader, the comrade George Weah remains the central figure around whom the CDC has evolved.
Yet it is equally true that many who have distanced themselves from the movement often point to him, rightly or wrongly, as a reason for their departure.
Some left voluntarily. Others believe they were pushed away. And many more, though dissatisfied with certain developments, have chosen to remain, convinced that the CDC is bigger than any one individual. They stay because they believe the party’s ideals, history, and future transcend the influence of any single leader, no matter how revered.
Whether the grievances of those who left are justified is a matter of perspective. What appears clear, however, is that under the current circumstances there seems to be little appetite for engagement with those who have departed. The prevailing view among many appears to be that those who left, or were forced out, have become “enemies” of the movement and that the party should simply move forward without them because they are considered politically “insignificant.”
Perhaps that is the reality of this era.
Perhaps those who think and act so are right. I do not judge them, but I hold strongly a different view.
I belong to the school of thought that believes the CDC, in its fullest form, possesses the capacity not merely to win power but to sustain it for generations.
My thoughts evolved from the vision that requires fullness. It requires the roots, the trunk, and the branches working together to produce leaves for shelter and fruit for nourishment. It requires unity, expansion, reconciliation, and the ability to bring together the broad political family that emerged from the movement over the years. At the center of this thinking is that everyone is a relevant component for growth.
For this reason, those who aspire to lead the CDC after former President Weah eventually steps aside should make it a strategic priority to strengthen the roots and reconnect the branches. The objective should not simply be to preserve the trunk but to ensure that the trunk once again supplies life and purpose to every branch capable of contributing to the movement’s future.
History has shown that political parties rise and fall not only because of their opponents but because of their ability, or inability, to manage growth, accommodate differences, and maintain internal cohesion.
The CDC has already demonstrated that it can survive. The next test is whether it can transform survival into long-term supremacy.
No one knows what 2029 will bring. Politics has a habit of humbling predictions and rewarding those who prepare while others celebrate.
What we do know is that the CDC possesses a future full of possibilities. The prospect of the party remaining a dominant force in Liberian politics is neither illusion nor fantasy. It is a realistic possibility.
But that possibility can become reality only when every member understands that the party’s supremacy is not the responsibility of one individual, one faction, or one generation alone. It becomes meaningful only when every supporter, every leader, and every branch of the movement contribute collectively to its growth, strength, and relevance.
The supremacy of the party is not an abstract idea; it is one forged of and from the sacrifices from not one, not some but ALL who ever calls CDC home.
The hard truth is a tree becomes mighty not simply because of the strength of its trunk but because every part of it works together to sustain life. Those who teach otherwise do so to exploit sentimental support for personal gains at the expense of the loyalty of the party’s faithful.
The same principle applies to political movements.
If the CDC is to remain supreme in the years ahead, then its future leaders must learn not only how to protect the tree but how to nurture every branch capable of helping it bears fruits.
