July 17 Protest’s Surprises -Major Known Opposition Leaders, Activists Unseen

MONROVIA : Even before it could commence yesterday, pundits had already ruled out the July 17, 2025 STAND-led “Enough is Enough” protest as a failure because many felt that the main face of the protest, former Chairman of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and now the Chairman of the Solidarity and Trust for A New Day (STAND), Mulbah Morlu, could not represent the voices of the largely marginalized Liberian populace because he was part of the problems created by the CDC – something they contended led to ouster of the CDC in 2023.

There were others who also said the protest against the Unity Party-led government lacked political will from the leading opposition leadership was not going to succeed. But the STAND-led protest which commenced Thursday morning with a trickling turnout, blossomed by mid-afternoon into a gigantic wave of protestors who trooped peacefully under heavy downpour of rains from the suburbs of the Liberian capital to converge on the Capitol Hill where they presented a petition to the legislature demanding sweeping governance changes pertaining to the rule of law, national security, corruption and the worsening economic situation in the country.

Unlike the June 7, 2019 protest against former President George Manneh Weah that was driven largely by the opposition leadership of the country at time, yesterday’s protest lacked any visibility from prominent opposition leaders such as Alexander B. Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP), Mr. Tiawan Gongloe, formerly of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP), or even the CDC arrowhead, former George M. Weah himself.

Battling the torrential July rains, the people pushed towards the Capitol Building by late afternoon amid heavy police presence, mounted barbed barricades. The protesters were seen carrying placards depicting their concerns against the Boakai-led government.

Some wordings on their placards read: “Enough is Enough”, “Innocent People are Dying”, “Stop ritualistic killings”, “Take action on mysterious death”.

Christopher Doe-Weah is one of the protestors who expressed his frustration over the harsh living condition he and his family are undergoing, which was why he said he was part of the protest.

He contended: “President Boakai lied to us. He said in his first 100 days, he would address bread and butter issues. It’s not bread and butter. During President Weah’s time, to my righteous God, I and my two sons used to cook five cups of rice each day. But since Boakai came to power, we have never cooked more than two cups of rice per day.”

Cllr. Moriah Yeakula-Korkpor, a prominent activist, politician and legal practitioner who often aligns with the suffering of the impoverished masses also opined: “It’s hypocrisy. Many of them who supported Rescue Train are disenchanted, struggling and complaining privately all the time but too ashamed and embarrassed to confess publicly. Yet they are the same ones trying to ridicule the poor people who have the guts to come outside and protest the same issues, talking against the organizers as though the ones who organized the June 7 protest which they supported were any different or better. Thank you for saying this so clearly and eloquently. And shame on those Necodemuses who can complain in private. The truth is the Rescue Train is doing no different and needs to be better.”

Leading the march, STAND Chairman Mulbah Morlu, former Montserrado County District #8 lawmaker Moses Acarous Gray, CDC National Chairman Janga Kawo, and other stalwarts of the CDC were seen as the most prominent faces of the “Enough is Enough” protest.

At the Capitol Building, the protestors vowed to present their petition only to the Liberian president, as spokesman Morlu vented his frustration for President Boakai’s absence to receive their petition.

“President Boakai went to the communities to campaign. He came to our towns and villages to ask for votes,” Morlu said. “So why can’t he show the same respect to come and receive the petition from those same people.”

The protestors concluded their peaceful and well-organized outing after presenting their petition to a designated member of the National Legislature, with the STAND Chairman giving an ultimatum to the government.

“If the President does not respond to our demands with 14 days, we will return,” Morlu stated after the reading of the petition.

“As you are going back home, remember you have defeated their expectation. They are angry. They will try to provoke you. Do not mind them. Go home peacefully; let’s give you 14 days to come back to us. If the president does not come back in 14 days, I can assure you, they will hear from us, and this time around, there will be the greatest re-convergence of the masses,” Chairman Morlu concluded, following which the protesting peacefully trooped back to their various communities.