By : Julius Konton
IPNEWS: The political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), Musa Hassan Bility, has formally declared an end to what he described as years of political patience, broken promises, and public disappointment, unveiling an ambitious nationwide agenda he says will redefine Liberia’s political and development trajectory in 2026.
In a nationally broadcast address, Bility announced that “the waiting is over,” a phrase he repeated as both a political warning and a rallying cry to millions of Liberians grappling with unemployment, decaying infrastructure, and entrenched corruption.
“We have been patient. We have been hopeful. And we have been disappointed,” Bility said. “The waiting is over.”
2026: A Year to ‘Take Back Liberia’
Framing 2026 as a decisive year, Bility positioned the CMC not merely as a political movement but as a citizen-driven national intervention, promising to “take back Liberia” through tangible projects rather than campaign rhetoric.
Liberia continues to face significant development challenges.
According to international development assessments, more than 50 percent of Liberians live below the national poverty line, while youth unemployment and underemployment remain among the highest in West Africa.
Despite decades of post-war recovery efforts, over 40 percent of the country’s road network remains impassable during the rainy season, severely affecting trade, healthcare access, and education.
Bility argued that these realities demand immediate action rather than prolonged political negotiations.
CMC’s Track Record Since 2025
Bility highlighted what he described as the CMC’s early achievements since its launch in March 2025, noting that the movement has already financed and executed community-level projects across several counties.
According to the CMC leader, these initiatives include:
Rehabilitation of feeder roads and bridges
Renovation of schools and health clinics
Donations to market women associations
Support for churches, mosques, youth groups, and community organizations
“If we could accomplish this much in such a short time,” Bility said, “imagine what we can do together in 2026.”
Nationwide Infrastructure Push
At the core of the CMC’s 2026 agenda is an expansive road and bridge construction program, targeting some of Liberia’s most neglected corridors.
Among the flagship projects announced:
Nimba County: Road rehabilitation to improve access to farming communities
Lofa County: Construction of the long-awaited Barkedu–Tusor bridge, a crossing Bility said has claimed multiple lives over the years.
Bong County: A major bridge project in Gbarnga, the capital of Liberia’s central region, which he said has effectively divided the city
Bong–Nimba Corridor: Planned construction of the Tiawon Saye Gongloe Bridge, a critical economic and social link
“These bridges are not just concrete,” Bility emphasized. “They are lifelines.”
Expansion to Southeastern Liberia
Bility also announced that January 2026 will mark the movement’s entry into southeastern Liberia, with major projects planned in:
Grand Gedeh County (two priority projects)
While Sinoe and River Gee Counties will benefit one each as a start.
Additional interventions are planned for Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu Counties, while Montserrado, Margibi, and Grand Bassa are also listed among counties where CMC says its presence will be strongly felt.
A Message to a Weary Nation
In one of the most emotional segments of his address, Bility directly acknowledged widespread public fatigue with Liberia’s political class.
“I know some of you are tired, tired of politicians who make promises they never keep, tired of leaders who serve themselves while you struggle,” he said.
He invoked the daily struggles of market women, farmers, unemployed graduates, and members of the Liberian diaspora, which remits hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars annually to sustain families and local economies back home.
“That strength, that determination, that pride , that is the real Liberia,” Bility said. “And that Liberia deserves better.”
Zero Tolerance for Corruption
The CMC’s leader made one of his strongest commitments yet on governance, declaring that a CMC-led Liberia would “end corruption not reduce it, not manage it, but end it.”
Liberia has consistently ranked low on global corruption perception indexes, with watchdog groups citing weak accountability systems and politicized public institutions as major obstacles to development.
Among CMC’s key pledges:
Job creation focused on dignified, sustainable employment
Construction of farm-to-market roads
Reliable supply of medicines in public hospitals
A national unity agenda rejecting tribal or political exclusion
“Competence over connections,” Bility declared. “One Liberia for all Liberians.”
Rejecting the image of a one-man movement, Bility stressed that CMC’s success depends on citizen participation from students and professionals to parents, farmers, and the diaspora.
“This movement does not belong to me,” he said. “It belongs to you.”
He urged supporters to sign up, volunteer, donate, and mobilize their communities, describing 2026 as the year Liberia stops waiting and starts building.
He also criticized Liberia’s recent political leadership, stating that the CMC had observed both the ruling Unity Party and the former Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) fail to deliver on their promises.
“We watched. We waited,” he said. “Now is the time for action.”
As Liberia approaches another critical political cycle, analysts say Bility’s declaration marks a significant escalation in opposition mobilization, one that could reshape national discourse if matched by delivery on the ground.
Whether the Citizens Movement for Change can translate its rhetoric and early interventions into sustainable national impact remains to be seen.
But one message from Bility’s address was unmistakable: Liberia’s era of waiting, he insists, is coming to an end.
