Hundreds of Liberians flooded the rain-soaked streets of Monrovia on Thursday, protesting against President Joseph Boakai’s leadership.
Chanting “Enough is enough,” demonstrators marched to Capitol Hill, waving placards accusing Boakai of corruption and democratic backsliding.
Boakai, who assumed office in early 2024, faces mounting criticism for alleged economic mismanagement, rampant corruption, and failure to raise public sector wages.
His supporters claim the administration has suspended corrupt officials and strengthened investor relations to rebuild the struggling economy.
Protesters, however, say Boakai has broken campaign promises made when he ousted former football star-turned-president George Weah.
Civil servant Bendu Camara, 55, said he was forced into retirement due to his links with the previous administration and accused Boakai of political favouritism.
“He entered the mansion and we gave him the flag for all Liberians, but he is picking and choosing,” Camara said.
Others criticised the president for nepotism in job appointments and for sidelining those outside his Unity Party.
Pottery trader Hawa Kpehe, 22, accused Boakai of deepening poverty. “He came to power and took food from our parents’ table,” she said. Liberia, one of the world’s poorest countries, continues to battle the legacy of war and disease.
Two brutal civil wars between 1989 and 2003 claimed 250,000 lives and left the country in ruins. The 2014 Ebola epidemic further ravaged an already fragile healthcare and economic system.
Many Liberians had placed their hopes in Boakai to chart a new path forward after years of instability. Thursday’s protest signals growing frustration among citizens who feel left behind by yet another leader’s unfulfilled promises.
