Former Bassa Governor in Montserrado County James Emmanuel Brooks has issued a forceful appeal to the leadership of the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), calling on its chairman, Mulbah K. Morlu, to reconsider the group’s planned protest. He warned that demonstrations held around Liberia’s Independence Day could undermine national peace, damage property, and inflict hardship on ordinary citizens.
Speaking during an interview in Margibi County on Saturday, July 11, 2026, Brooks argued that while peaceful assembly is protected under Liberia’s Constitution, protests must be weighed against their broader consequences for the country.
“As a people and as a nation, we should listen to each other because we believe this country belongs to all of us,” Brooks said. “Demonstrations have not helped this country before. Whenever these protests happen, it is the ordinary Liberian who suffers. Businesses are disrupted, lives are endangered, and property is destroyed.”
Brooks stressed that Liberia is approaching its 179th Independence Day, a period he believes should unite citizens rather than deepen political divisions.
“We are calling on STAND and Chairman Mulbah Morlu to reconsider this decision,” he said. “We are not asking them to surrender their constitutional rights or freedom of speech. We are simply saying that the timing is wrong. Independence Day should be a moment of national celebration, not confrontation.”
Drawing on Liberia’s painful political history, Brooks, a former political advisor to the Liberian Senate warned against repeating mistakes that have fueled instability in the past.
“We are not prepared for another situation like the rice riot of April 14, 1979. Liberia has suffered enough. We should not create conditions that could once again throw the country into unnecessary turmoil.”
The planned July 17 demonstration is being organized by STAND, headed by former Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu.
Since the CDC’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election, Morlu has positioned himself as one of the government’s strongest critics, accusing the Boakai administration of failing to address rising living costs, unemployment, corruption, and governance concerns.
STAND has organized several demonstrations and public campaigns demanding reforms and greater government accountability. Morlu has consistently maintained that the planned protest is peaceful and protected under Liberia’s Constitution.
However, the announcement of another nationwide demonstration just days before Independence Day has sparked debate, with supporters describing it as an exercise of democratic rights, while critics fear it could disrupt national celebrations and public order.
Brooks, a former Commissioner of Gardnersville Township in Montserrado County, also praised the government’s handling of the ongoing investigation into the seizure of approximately US$19.2 million worth of cocaine at Roberts International Airport. He described the arrests made so far as a positive indication that the country’s security institutions are taking the matter seriously.
“I commend the government for bringing several of the alleged perpetrators to book,” Brooks said. “It is a good sign, especially under the leadership of the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia National Police.”
He urged Liberians to allow investigators to complete their work rather than rushing to judgment.
“People should stop trying to conclude who is guilty before investigations are completed. Let the Joint Security continue its work. The Liberian people should be patient. If the government goes in the right direction, we will commend them. If they go in the wrong direction, we will speak collectively.”
Brooks renewed his longstanding call for stronger economic empowerment of Liberians, arguing that the country’s abundant natural resources should primarily benefit its citizens.
“We need Liberian millionaires,” he declared.
“Our gold, our diamonds, our rubber, and other resources should benefit Liberians first. We should not continue allowing others to control sectors of our economy while Liberians remain spectators.”
Brooks, who serves as National Chairman of the pro-democracy advocacy group Give Liberia’s Economy Back to Liberians, urged the government to strengthen Liberianization policies, insisting that foreign investors should not dominate both wholesale importation and retail commerce.
“It is not happening in many other countries, so why should it continue here? Liberians must become business owners, industrialists, and manufacturers.”
He further advocated for greater industrialization, suggesting that Liberia should process its own raw materials rather than exporting them for value addition abroad.
“We produce rubber but import finished tires. We have resources but continue buying manufactured products from overseas. These industries should be established here to create jobs and wealth.”
Brooks welcomed reports that the government is exploring the establishment of a national mining company, describing the proposal as consistent with recommendations he has made over the years.
“This is exactly what we have been talking about,” he said.
“If the government is moving in that direction, then I commend them. Liberia’s natural wealth should produce opportunities for Liberians. We need people who can build businesses, create employment, and strengthen the economy.”
He encouraged President Joseph Boakai’s administration to accelerate reforms that increase Liberian participation in mining, commerce, and other strategic sectors.
Brooks, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Rock Church in Liberia, called on churches to play a more active role in national development by addressing social and economic challenges confronting ordinary Liberians.
“The church should not focus only on prosperity messages,” he said. “Religious institutions have a responsibility to work alongside government and civil society by offering meaningful solutions to the country’s problems.”
Brooks concluded by urging Liberians to place national unity above political differences, emphasizing that constitutional rights should always be exercised responsibly.
“We all love Liberia,” he said. “Our actions should strengthen the country, not divide it. Peace, dialogue, and economic empowerment remain the best path toward national development.”
