Monrovia, Liberia – July 28, 2025 — As Liberia’s political climate gradually shifts toward the 2029 presidential elections, a critical internal reflection from Amos Sumo, a supporter of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), has highlighted two fundamental weaknesses within the party that could hinder its comeback: lack of negotiation credibility and technological capacity.
Following the CDC’s electoral defeat in 2023 and the transition of power to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, calls have grown within the party’s base for a comprehensive reform. These include restructuring leadership from the grassroots to the national executive level, rebranding the party’s public image, and sustaining community engagement to rebuild its support base.
However, Sumo argues that beyond these organizational adjustments, the CDC must urgently address two structural issues that contributed to its 2023 loss if it is to pose a serious challenge in the next elections.
Broken Alliances and Eroded Trust
Central to Sumo’s critique is the party’s failure to honor political agreements made during its successful 2017 campaign. He alleges that CDC leaders betrayed several key allies and grassroots stakeholders by reneging on negotiated promises that had helped secure the coalition’s electoral victory.
One significant example, he notes, is the case of Amara Konneh, who reportedly played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in CDC’s 2017 success. Konneh is said to have contributed financial resources and technological expertise—particularly in vote tabulation using support from a Burkinabe IT specialist. In exchange, he was allegedly promised a high-profile political appointment, potentially to replace George Weah in the Senate if the presidency was secured. However, the party failed to fulfill this commitment.
Instead, Sumo claims, Konneh became a target of internal party smear campaigns led by senior CDC officials, notably Representative Acarous Moses Gray. “Rather than reward loyalty, the CDC opted for political deception and scapegoating,” Sumo remarked, stressing that such actions have alienated numerous supporters and weakened the party’s coalition strength.
Sumo warns that this pattern of betrayal has had lasting consequences. “CDC outsmarted most of its allies with what I call ‘smart lies and optical illusions.’ That lack of negotiation credibility continues to haunt the party and could prevent a meaningful comeback in 2029 unless addressed.”
Technological Deficiencies and Strategic Lag
In addition to failed alliances, Sumo points to a lack of technological sophistication as a critical flaw in CDC’s political strategy. He suggests that the party has not kept pace with digital campaign tools, data-driven voter mobilization, and election monitoring systems—an area where their opponents have shown improvement.
“Campaigns are no longer run in isolation from technology,” he said. “The absence of digital preparedness cost the CDC dearly in 2023 and will continue to do so unless the party adapts to modern political realities.”
A Warning and a Challenge Ahead of 2029
Sumo’s analysis reflects growing concerns among CDC loyalists that internal mismanagement, strategic missteps, and unfulfilled promises could lead to yet another electoral loss in 2029. He cautions that if the party fails to acknowledge and resolve these systemic weaknesses, the Boakai administration could face minimal resistance in securing re-election.
While party leaders are reportedly exploring reforms, Sumo’s commentary serves as a stark reminder: without repairing broken political relationships and modernizing its operations, the CDC risks permanent relegation to the opposition benches.
