Published: November 3, 2025
MONROVIA, Liberia — The Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), the political vehicle launched in March this year by businessman-turned-lawmaker, Musa Hassan Bility, is facing a mounting crisis after the sudden resignation of a high-profile diaspora leader and a cascade of public criticisms that threaten the party’s image as a reformist alternative.
The CMC’s USA/Canada diaspora chairwoman, Grace Renelle Guar, a well-known activist and founding member of the party abruptly stepped down last week, a move that has prompted questions from political observers and civil society about internal transparency and governance in the new organization.
The party acknowledged her departure but provided few details, a silence that critics say is at odds with the CMC’s public commitment to openness. Guar’s resignation was followed by media reports that other members are at least temporarily disengaging from the movement amid concerns about how funds and decisions are being handled.
Opposition voices and some former allies have framed the departures as the first clear signs of organizational strain inside a party that-only months after its March launch had been positioning itself as a corruption-busting alternative to established political formations. The abruptness of Madam Guar’s exit and the lack of public explanation have raised eyebrows said a political analyst who requested anonymity to discuss internal party matters. “When you build a platform on accountability and reform, you’re held to a higher standard. Silence fuels suspicion.”
Guar’s resignation statement did not specify the reasons for her decision and the CMC’s press acknowledgement likewise offered thanks without detail.
Party response, unity pledge
The CMC leadership has attempted to tamp down the fallout, issuing a statement that acknowledged the resignation and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to transparency, unity and internal review. Party officials said Guar’s decision was voluntary and wished her well, while urging members and supporters to remain calm as the movement conducts “an internal assessment.”
The official line insists the party remains focused on organizational growth and its public agenda. Musa Bility who was sworn in as CMC political leader when the party launched in March has publicly sought to recast his political image since leaving the Liberty Party and winning a seat in the House of Representatives.
At the CMC launch he promised to make tackling corruption and improving governance central to the organization’s mission; in recent months he has also courted prominent figures back to his fold, including the return of party vice chair Wadei Powell, whom Bility hailed as an organizational builder. Supporters say the CMC has momentum; detractors point to recent personnel shocks as evidence of deeper problems.
Reputation and the shadow of past controversies have highlighted concern the timing of the resignations of Madam Guar is politically sensitive because Bility’s public record includes prior controversies that opponents can now exploit.
Bility, a businessman who has also served in sports administration and party leadership roles, remains a polarizing figure in Liberian politics: his tenure in other organizations drew scrutiny in earlier years and is routinely revisited by critics who argue such history complicates his reformist pitch. Bility’s supporters counter that his experience in business and politics positions him to lead institutional change.
What started as a potentially powerful insurgent movement in Nimba County and beyond is now confronting a test of discipline and messaging. “Parties are often vulnerable in their infancy,” said a political commentator. “How CMC handles this will either cement its credibility or confirm skeptics’ fears that it’s another personality-driven project.”
Calls for transparency, donor and diaspora concern on Guar’s role as diaspora chair made her a visible bridge to overseas Liberians and funders. Diaspora networks and donors, who are often cautious about supporting new political movements, told journalists they want clearer accounting and better governance safeguards after the resignation.
What’s next?
For now, the CMC says it will continue with recruitment and outreach events and that the party’s national secretariat is conducting an internal review. The crucial next steps will be whether the party publicly shares the findings of any review, how it responds to demands for financial transparency, and whether other senior figures remain loyal or decamp. “If the CMC wants to be taken seriously as a reformist alternative, its actions have to match its rhetoric,” the analyst said. “That means openness, neutral audits, and a willingness to resolve disputes without secrecy.”
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