Monrovia-A concerned partisan of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) says he does not believe the party is serious and determined to learn from the mistakes that blotted its chances for re-election in 2023, insisting that it continues to repeat the same mistakes.
In a lengthy social media write-up, Thomas Blamo warned that the CDC must stop repeating the communication failures that contributed to its 2023 electoral defeat.
Blamo is particularly concerned about communication clarity, which includes simplified message void of vocabulary of big English, amongst others.
“Our experience in government should have taught us that political communication is not about speaking the biggest English but about making our message clear, convincing, and understandable to ordinary Liberians,” he wrote.
As a committed supporter of the CDC, Blamo said he believes it is time for the party to engage in serious self-reflection.
“We cannot continue to criticize the Unity Party administration for its shortcomings while ignoring the weaknesses within our own political communication machinery,” he rallied.
He noted the CDC criticism of the government may be legitimate, concerns about the economy may be genuine, and our questions about accountability may deserve answers.
“But if we cannot communicate these concerns effectively to the people, we risk allowing our political opponents to dominate the national conversation once again,” he warned.
Blamo said the painful reality is that the CDC has already experienced this problem. During its time in government, he recalled, the party repeatedly heard that it failed to adequately communicate its achievements to the Liberian people.
“We were told that we assumed development projects would speak for themselves, that citizens would automatically appreciate our policies, and that our record would be enough to secure public confidence,” he asserted.
“Yet political opponents were communicating their criticisms relentlessly, taking their messages to communities, radio stations, marketplaces, and public demonstrations. Whatever the accuracy of individual allegations, our opponents understood that a message repeated consistently and communicated in familiar language could shape public opinion.”
That experience, he argued, should have become one of the most important lessons in the party’s political history. Unfortunately, some of its current communication practices suggest that it has not fully absorbed it.
“Today, as an opposition party, the CDC has an important responsibility to scrutinize the Unity Party government,” he said. “We must speak about economic hardship, unemployment, the cost of living, public spending, corruption allegations, governance failures, and the concerns of ordinary citizens.”
In doing so, he insisted the CDC must do so with clarity, discipline, credible evidence, and a communication strategy that reaches beyond our own political circles.
According to him, “Our communicators must understand that the ordinary Liberian is not listening to admire their vocabulary. The ordinary Liberian is listening to understand what is happening in the country and how it affects their daily life.”
Blamo said this is why he believes the party must seriously examine the communication styles of some of its spokespeople, including Alvin Wesseh. His concern, he clarified, is not about Wesseh’s educational background, intelligence, or personal character, but whether the way the party’s representatives communicate is reaching the audience they need to reach.
“A spokesperson can be highly educated and knowledgeable yet still fail to communicate effectively if the ordinary listener cannot understand the central message. We must stop confusing complicated English with political effectiveness,” Blamo indicated.
He said if a communicator spends an entire radio discussion explaining a government controversy in sophisticated vocabulary but leaves the listener confused, then the communication has failed its most important test.
He added that “A simple, well-supported explanation can be far more powerful than a lengthy speech filled with impressive expressions.”
Blamo stressed that effective political communication is more than making accusations against the government.
“We must distinguish established facts from allegations, provide evidence, explain the consequences of policies, and offer practical alternatives. We must challenge the government in a manner that strengthens public understanding rather than merely generating political noise,” he said.
Blamo recommended that the party develop a coordinated communication strategy that includes regular community engagement, simple and consistent public messages, accessible radio discussions, social media explanations, and direct conversations with citizens.
“Our communicators should be trained to explain complicated national issues in Liberian English and plain English without sacrificing accuracy,” he insists.
“They should be prepared to answer the questions citizens are actually asking, such as what happened? What evidence supports the claim? How does this affect my family? What should the government do differently?”
He added that opposition politics cannot be built entirely around the failures of the governing party.
“The CDC must tell the people what we have learned, what we would do differently, and how we intend to address the challenges facing Liberia. We must demonstrate that our party is not simply waiting for another opportunity to regain power but is actively preparing to govern more responsibly and communicate more effectively.”
Blamo called on the party leadership to take ownership of the challenge, from the National Executive Committee to communication structures, county leadership, district leadership, and grassroots organizers, to establish clear standards for public messaging.
“We need communicators who understand the concerns of ordinary citizens, who can explain policy in everyday language, and who can defend our party’s positions with facts rather than insults or empty political rhetoric.”
He urged the party to evaluate its performance honestly after major media appearances and engagements: Did the people understand the message? Did it address their concerns? Did it provide credible information and practical solutions?
“The June 7, 2019 protest and the political mobilization that surrounded it should remind us that public grievances can become a powerful force when citizens understand the issues and feel that their concerns are being represented. But mobilization must be peaceful, responsible, and grounded in genuine public engagement. We should never mistake the ability to provoke anger for the ability to build lasting public confidence.”
“My message to the Congress for Democratic Change is simple: We cannot afford to lose another political opportunity because we failed to communicate what we believe, what we stand for, and what we intend to do for the Liberian people.”
“We have already paid a political price for failing to communicate effectively. Let us not wait until another defeat to admit that we should have done better.”
Concluding his concerns, he clarified that “The power of our message is not measured by the size of our English but by the clarity of our ideas and the confidence we earn from the citizens of Liberia.”
He added that the party must learn from its past, correct its present weaknesses, and prepare for the future with greater humility, stronger communication, and a renewed commitment to the Liberian people.
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