By Bill W. Cooper
Dozens of supporters of the Unity Party (UP), along with some individuals believed to be former officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), gathered outside the residence of President Joseph Boakai, demanding the fulfillment of job promises made during his campaign.
The yesterday’s, March 27, 2025, protest, which began peacefully, later escalated when state security forces, including personnel of the Executive Protection Service (EPS) intervened, resulting in clashes that left several demonstrators injured.
UP, as a prominent political institution in Liberia, has been a significant player in the country’s political history, having held state power for successive two terms with former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf being the political leader at the time.
As an opposition in 2023, supporters rallied behind Boakai who was Vice President to Ellen, believing in his vision and 45-years of governance experience for economic revitalization and job creation.
However, with one year and two months into his presidency, many Liberians feel disillusioned and betrayed by the lack of action on the promises made by the President and his team during the 2023 campaign period.
To the dismay of many, the protest commenced early Thursday morning, with supporters gathering outside the President’s Rehab residence in Paynesville, holding placards with the inscription, “President Boakai, we need jobs now!, we demand our rights!, among others.”
While those believed to be former officers of the LNP also had their placards with inscriptions such as, “We need to be reinstated or pay us our benefits; you did not come to the presidency to illegally dismiss us, and we need justice among others.”
With a charged atmosphere, filled with emotions, these protesters further voiced their frustrations, stating, “We have been waiting for our job promised us by our party officials since the election but to no avail.”
“We had serious confidence and believe in President Boakai, and that was the reason why we supported him. Now, we feel abandoned while few elites enjoy the fruits of our labors and struggles. We just want what was promised to us,” the aggrieved protesters pointed out.
The demonstrators further expressed their grievances, highlighting the dire economic situation in the country, where unemployment rates remain high, particularly among youth and business personnel.
Many of the protesting former officers also revealed that they had dedicated years of service to the LNP, their hopes for reinstatement and stable employment under the new administration had been a significant factor in their support for the President during the campaign.
Meanwhile, as the tensions began to rise, officers from the LNP, including the EPS, arrived on the scene to disperse the crowd, using Barton and other non-lethal weapons to break up the gathering.
According to our reporter, several of the protesters sustained bodily injuries during the clashes, with some of them likely requiring medical attention following the use of force by state security.
Some of the injured protesters spoken to lamented, “We worked hard to campaign for Boakai, but today they are using the police to drive us away from the place they once begged us to come to. We are deeply disappointed and now a laughing stock in our community.”
