Bility Snubs Weah’s Opposition Roundtable

By Lincoln G. Peters

CONGO TOWN, Monrovia, August 30, 2026 — A planned opposition leaders’ roundtable initiated by former President George M. Weah has suffered an early setback, with Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) political leader Representative Musa H. Bility rejecting the proposed structure of the gathering, arguing that opposition unity cannot begin with predetermined leadership and authority.

Bility says he supports dialogue among Liberia’s opposition political parties but insists that any collective leadership, coordinating structure or political framework must be negotiated and agreed upon by participating parties as equals.

The Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) plans to host the opposition leaders’ roundtable on Saturday, September 5, at the Jamaica Resort in Paynesville, three days after Weah’s scheduled return to Liberia.

The gathering forms part of activities surrounding the former President’s homecoming and comes amid increasing discussions about opposition cooperation ahead of the 2029 presidential and legislative elections.

Former Foreign Minister Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah has been designated to coordinate the engagement, while Weah is expected to preside over the discussions.

According to the CDC, the roundtable will focus on Liberia’s political, economic, security and governance challenges, as well as democracy, constitutional governance and national accountability.

However, in an August 28 communication addressed to CDC National Chairman Atty. Janga A. Kowo, Bility acknowledged receiving the invitation but raised objections to the organizational framework outlined for the meeting.

“Opposition unity must be negotiated among equals and it can’t begin with predetermined leadership, authority, or organizational arrangements,” Bility said.

He specifically questioned provisions designating a presiding leader and establishing a National Convening Secretariat under an already appointed coordinator.

“The invitation goes beyond convening an initial dialogue. It designates a presiding leader, establishes a National Convening Secretariat, and places that Secretariat under the authority of an already appointed ‘Lead and Coordinator’ of the Opposition Leaders’ Roundtable,” Bility said.

According to the CMC political leader, the arrangement gives the impression that a collective opposition structure and its leadership have already been established before participating political parties have had an opportunity to meet and agree on such a framework. “The CMC does not accept this approach,” Bility declared.

Despite his objections, Bility acknowledged Weah’s status as a former President and political leader of the CDC and said either Weah or his party has the right to invite other opposition parties to exploratory discussions.

“We recognize and respect H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah as a former President of Liberia and Political Leader of the CDC. In that capacity, he or the CDC may invite the CMC and other opposition political parties to an exploratory dialogue,” he said.

But Bility maintained that hosting or convening an initial meeting does not automatically confer leadership of Liberia’s broader opposition on the former President, the CDC or any designated official.

He argued that while the host of a meeting may facilitate discussions, leadership of any united opposition arrangement must emerge through a process agreed upon by all participating political parties.

“The CMC will not enter a fixed structure created without its participation,” Bility said.

“Unity cannot mean that independent political institutions are invited to join an arrangement whose leadership, authority, and operating framework have already been determined. Genuine unity must be collectively discussed, developed, and owned,” he added.

Bility proposed instead that the process begin with preliminary discussions among the major opposition political parties, with each participating as an equal and independent institution.

According to him, such discussions should establish a process through which opposition parties can develop a common assessment of Liberia’s political, economic, governance, security and democratic challenges.

His position signals an early disagreement over how any broader opposition coalition or cooperative framework should be structured ahead of the 2029 elections.

While the CDC is seeking to bring opposition leaders together under the September 5 roundtable, Bility is insisting that neither leadership nor organizational arrangements should be determined before the participating parties negotiate the terms of cooperation.

The disagreement could present an early test for efforts to forge a broader opposition alliance, particularly over the question of who leads such an arrangement and how its leadership and decision-making structures are determined.