Africa-Press – Liberia. The civil society organization Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) has announced that it has successfully mobilized more than 100,000 Liberians nationwide to participate in a protest scheduled for July 17.
The demonstration, to be held under the theme “Enough is Enough,” aims to address what STAND describes as a series of national crises, including worsening economic hardship, the breakdown of essential public services, and what the group alleges is targeted political intimidation against members of the legislature.
Speaking during a press conference in Monrovia on Monday, STAND Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu detailed the group’s grievances against the administration of President Joseph Boakai and called on ordinary citizens from all walks of life to join in the upcoming peaceful protest.
According to Morlu, Liberians from all 15 counties have expressed their readiness to take to the streets in a unified demand for accountability and reform. “All is now set,” Morlu declared. “Liberians are ready to come out in their numbers to say no to hardship, no to a crumbling healthcare system, and no to the witch-hunt against lawmakers who refuse to bow to executive intimidation.”
Morlu accused the government of neglecting a vital sector, pointing to the lack of medical supplies, unpaid healthcare workers, and failing infrastructure across hospitals and clinics. “The President has ignored the health sector, an important arm of governance that should command his topmost priority,” Morlu said. “We are witnessing pregnant women dying in labor due to the lack of basic drugs, clinics without electricity, and healthcare workers unpaid for months.”
Morlu further said that the government’s failure to provide leadership on health and social services had left ordinary Liberians vulnerable and desperate. He noted that in many parts of the country, public health facilities had become “death traps” due to neglect and lack of funding.
According to him, citizens can no longer rely on their leaders to protect their welfare, which is why STAND believes mass protest is the only way to get the government’s attention. “We did not choose this path lightly,” he added. “But the conditions are becoming unbearable. Our people are suffering, and their cries have been ignored for far too long.”
In addition to the healthcare crisis, STAND is also taking aim at the government’s recent crackdown on members of the National Legislature. The group condemned the arrest and detention of six lawmakers, including former Speaker J. Fonati Kofa, in connection with a fire incident at the Capitol Building, which the authorities have described as arson.
Morlu, however, labeled the incident a distraction and accused the Boakai administration of using law enforcement as a tool for political intimidation. “Instead of solving Liberia’s deep-rooted problems, this government is chasing lawmakers in the name of a politically motivated arson investigation. They are using the Liberia National Police as a political bulldog,” he said.
Morlu claimed that the government’s actions were designed to create fear among dissenting voices in the legislature, silencing opposition and undermining the democratic process. He argued that the arrests had little to do with actual justice and more to do with consolidating power and punishing those who challenge the Executive.
“This is nothing more than a manufactured distraction,” Morlu said. “It is a desperate attempt to shift public attention from the bread and butter issues that are making life unbearable for the average Liberian.”
The STAND Chairman also launched a scathing critique of Justice Minister, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, accusing him of grossly misinterpreting a Supreme Court ruling that ultimately led to Speaker Koffa’s removal.
According to Morlu, the Minister’s actions have compromised the integrity of the justice system and placed the entire government in disrepute. “The Justice Minister should resign. His biased and unlawful interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling has not only misled the entire country but made him an active player in this political theater,” Morlu stated.
He claimed that a subsequent ruling from the same court contradicted Tweh’s earlier interpretation, thereby exposing what Morlu called the Minister’s legal incompetence and political alignment. “It is unacceptable for the Justice Ministry to be weaponized for political warfare,” Morlu emphasized. “We cannot have a justice system that bends depending on who is in power or who is being targeted.”
Morlu made it clear that the protest would not be about political party affiliations, but about the national interest. “This is not about political party lines. It is about the future of our country. July 17 will be a turning point,” Morlu concluded. “The world will see that the Liberian people are tired of deception, tired of suffering, and tired of excuses.”
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