A group of aggrieved partisans and supporters of the governing Unity Party protest at the residence of President Boakai here, demanding jobs.
By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Paynesville, Liberia, March 28, 2025 – Dozens of Unity Party (UP) supporters staged a protest early Thursday at President Joseph Boakai’s residence in Rehab community, Paynesville City, demanding jobs they were promised during his campaign.
The protesters, who according to them, had been strong campaigners for Boakai, expressed frustration at being left without employment opportunities despite their efforts.
“We are deeply disappointed, and we are a laughingstock in our communities,” they lament in in separate comments, highlighting the emotional toll the situation has taken on them.
The demonstration, which took place on March 27, 2025, saw protesters being dispersed by security personnel, leaving them scattered in the surrounding neighborhood. This protest adds to the growing tension within the ruling establishment, as the leadership faces mounting pressure from grassroots members to address their concerns.
These discontented partisans have long felt overlooked, with many of them accusing the executive committee and the standard bearer of prioritizing issues that do not align with the needs of grassroots supporters.
Their frustrations have culminated in multiple protests, including one during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Golden Key Hotel in Paynesville, and at the party’s national headquarters in Monrovia.
The aggrieved partisans, who are vital to the party’s success in future political endeavors, feel betrayed by a leadership that they believe has forgotten the efforts that helped bring President Boakai to power.
Their cry may signal a turning point for the Unity Party, with leaders facing an urgent need to acknowledge and address growing discontent among their supporters, or risk alienating the very base that helped propel them to take state power.
Key executive members of the ruling UP have been absorbed in government, with National Chairman, Rev. Dr. Luther J. Tarpeh appointed on the Board of the National Port Authority, while National Secretary General Amos Tweh sits at the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company as Managing Director, and Campaign Spokesman Mo Ali, heads the Liberia Water and Sewar Corporation as Managing Director. Editing by Jonathan Browne
