Monrovia – Former Liberian President and political chief of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), George Manneh Weah, has damaged his silence amid widespread public dialogue and on-line hypothesis over his well being.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
The priority was sparked by the latest circulation of pictures and movies that present the previous president showing visibly leaner and, in response to some, bodily weak.
Weah, who served as Liberia’s twenty fifth President from 2018 to 2024, has maintained a comparatively quiet profile since leaving workplace following the 2023 elections. Nonetheless, a uncommon look on the groundbreaking ceremony of a CDC challenge final Saturday reignited public dialog, with many Liberians expressing concern about what they described as his obvious bodily transformation.
“These latest pictures of former President George Weah converse quite a bit about his well being situation,” posted Elijah Kollie, a resident of Monrovia, on Fb as he shared a picture of the previous president.
Fatima Sirleaf, one other Liberian, additionally shared a photograph of Weah from the occasion, writing, “That is our former President! Not for nothing however he’s one in every of our Nation’s delight! He wants our collective prayers and his household have to rescue him from these grasping hunters who solely wish to use him for an additional election that he is not going to win.”
Jerry Kamara, additionally reacting to the latest footage, stated, “However his supporters are saying nothing mistaken with him. They usually stated he’s coaching that’s why he’s dropping his physique. So let him notice and make it clear that he’s not okay, then all of us will be a part of him in prayer.”
Even a few of his political critics joined the dialog with sympathy. Terrance Jones said, “Although I don’t agree with George Weah on politics, however my love and respect for him is large. Seeing an brisk and bodily man that may’t stand on his ft for 2 minutes breaks me. My prayers for you King George.” One other involved Liberian, Justin David, stated, “That is past politics, former President Weah is an asset to Africa, wishing him a speedy restoration in Jesus’ identify.”
Morlu Kpoto went additional to criticize the folks across the former president, stating, “Severely, our former president shouldn’t be effectively. The folks which are round him should not doing effectively for him. The Weah everyone knows shouldn’t be the Weah that I’m seeing on this video. However my biggest disappointment is his spouse. So Mrs. Weah desires to inform me that she doesn’t know her husband when he isn’t okay after all of the years they’ve spent collectively. So allow us to maintain our former president in our prayers, that God will heal him from no matter he’s going by.”
In response to the rising hypothesis, former President Weah took to his WhatsApp standing on Monday to handle the rumors and clarify his stance. In what many noticed as a refined jab on the ruling Unity Get together and his critics, Weah wrote, “I don’t use make-up to cover my face. You guys can say all you wish to say about me. However be reminded that I don’t use make-up to cover my face. I’m a pure man. G.M.W.”
He adopted up with one other message on Tuesday, stating, “I get up and repair my very own breakfast. You wait on others to serve you.” The previous president’s public statements appear geared toward shutting down the net hypothesis and portraying himself as wholesome, unbiased, and answerable for his day by day life.
His longtime aide, Sekou Kalasco Damaro, additionally tried to dispel issues by posting a three-minute video of Weah engaged in cardio workout routines at a health club. “Train helps keep a wholesome weight and reduces physique fats, which is why we’re within the health club each morning with His Excellency George M. Weah! I needed to run away this morning as a result of I couldn’t sustain together with his cardio coaching!” Damaro wrote.
The video has drawn quite a few supportive feedback from Weah loyalists and CDC partisans, who dismissed the criticisms and described the hypothesis as politically pushed. “The final time I attempted train like this within the health club, I resigned once I got here residence. Former President George Weah has the power. Even my very own large brother Sekou Kalasco Damaro and Amara Konneh can’t take the danger to do one of these train,” one supporter commented.
One other CDC supporter, Consolation Taye, wrote, “Our hardworking and energetic papa, the folks strive however they will’t make it, even of their subsequent life. We love you papa Dr President George Weah.” Moore Kamara responded to the video by saying, “Come see the person you folks stated is sick doing health. In case you deal your individual to do strolling round his compound, you’ll rush him straight to the hospital.”
Michael Johnson, one other supporter, stated, “That’s the way in which to go Papay, maintain doing what’s finest in your well being.” He added, “It’s solely in Liberia once you shed weight folks can say you’re sick. Every part about our nation is reverse. In actual fact, it’s the one nation the place when persons are overweight they’re known as being effectively and having fun with.”
Civil society activist Clara Mallah weighed in, expressing each concern and the best of Liberians to query the well being of their leaders. “It’s only in Africa that individuals really feel discussing the well being standing of public officers is against the law. Some even discover it offensive, impolite and evil to easily query the well being standing of public officers. Actually? Why? I believed Liberia is following America’s fashion of management? How come the well being statuses of American presidents and all public officers could be mentioned brazenly, however when similar is completed in Liberia, it turns into an issue?”
She continued, “All Liberians must be involved about previous and current leaders! Former President George Weah is understood to be a wholesome man. If for any purpose, Liberians are noticing adjustments in his bodily look, they’ve a proper to be curious! I don’t see the hate on this! In spite of everything, Mr. Weah stays the chief of the most important opposition social gathering. Whereas it stays the prerogative of Liberians to resolve the following president, let’s not neglect, there’s a chance Mr. Weah may return to energy…as a result of he’s nonetheless very a lot beloved by plenty of Liberians!”
Mallah emphasised the general public’s proper to accountability, saying, “What is not going to be accepted is for anybody to put up about his well being and make mockery of him! It’s unacceptable! Within the West, the statuses of public officers are brazenly mentioned. King Charles, Princess Catherine, and Sarah Ferguson of the UK, after they had been identified with most cancers, it was reported on BBC and all worldwide channels. Even in America, President Donald J. Trump, former Presidents Joe Biden, George Bush, Invoice Clinton, and so forth…all well being statuses are public data. Whether or not Mr. Weah returns to energy or not, he’s a ‘state property.’ This implies the Liberian folks, he has ruled, and nonetheless governs as head of the Congress for Democratic Change, have full rights to debate and query his well being publicly.”
She added, “Personally, I’m involved. We are able to’t afford to have folks main in the event that they’re sick! So, these misguiding the general public on this vital matter have to again off. It’s our proper to ask about these main us, as soon as we’re respectful and abiding by the structure of the Republic of Liberia. Check out these photos: the one within the swimsuit is when he was President of the Republic of Liberia, the opposite is his latest picture as former President. Are you able to examine and arguably persuade us that every one is effectively? No! We need to know. Let’s hope for one of the best, however we should always by no means cease asking all the mandatory questions.”
In the meantime, Amos Tweh, Secretary Common of the ruling Unity Get together, has referred to as on social gathering supporters to chorus from participating in discussions about Weah’s well being. “We urge all Unity Get together partisans, supporters and rescue missionaries to chorus from discussing the present well being standing of former president George Weah. No one can assume or conclude on the well being situation of people resulting from their bodily morphology. Allow us to proceed to assist our president, H.E Joseph Nyumah Boakai as he steers the affairs of our nation, Liberia.”
It isn’t the primary time the well being of a Liberian political chief has sparked nationwide debate. Present President Joseph Boakai has additionally confronted persistent questions on his well being.
In the course of the 2023 marketing campaign, Boakai’s age and repeated incidents of fatigue had been extensively mentioned, with critics dubbing him “Sleepy Joe.” On his inauguration day in January 2024, Boakai, then 79, struggled to complete his speech and needed to be assisted away from the rostrum. Whereas his workplace attributed the incident to warmth exhaustion and guaranteed the general public he was “completely effective,” issues about his health to serve a full time period stay lively.
Now, with hypothesis turning towards Weah, the political panorama once more finds itself intertwined with health-related debates, elevating broader questions on transparency, management functionality, and the rights of residents to query those that lead or could search to guide them.
