NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The opposition Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) has announced the postponement of its planned September 5 nationwide protest, citing what it described as President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s initial response to Liberia’s deepening drug crisis.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
However, the party insists that the government’s recent dismissals and suspensions are only the beginning and has renewed its demand for a comprehensive investigation into what it believes is a powerful drug cartel operating in the country.
In a statement issued Saturday, August 1, CMC acknowledged the President’s recent administrative actions against several public officials but argued that such measures, while welcome, fall short of the accountability Liberians expect.
“The Citizens Movement for Change acknowledges the recent dismissals, suspensions, and other administrative actions taken by President H.E. Joseph N. Boakai in response to Liberia’s worsening drug crisis,” the party said. “Although these actions are belated, they are important first steps.”
The opposition party said the President’s decisions demonstrate that his administration has begun recognizing the gravity of the country’s drug problem and the growing public demand for accountability.
Nevertheless, CMC warned that dismissals and suspensions alone cannot replace criminal investigations or judicial proceedings.
According to the party, administrative sanctions must serve only as the starting point of a broader effort aimed at exposing everyone allegedly involved in the country’s illicit drug trade.
“Dismissals and suspensions are not substitutes for a comprehensive criminal investigation, full public disclosure, and the prosecution of everyone against whom credible evidence exists,” the statement emphasized. “These initial actions must become the beginning of the investigation, not the government’s excuse for ending it.”
Calls for Independent Investigation
CMC also referenced statements reportedly made by senior security officials suggesting that influential figures and high-ranking government officials could be linked to drug trafficking networks.
The party urged President Boakai to guarantee the independence of investigators and ensure they are adequately protected and resourced to conduct an impartial inquiry.
It argued that investigators should be allowed to pursue every lead regardless of the status or political influence of those implicated.
According to CMC, no individual—including current or former government officials, members of the security sector, politicians, businesspeople, or foreign collaborators—should be shielded from investigation because of political connections, wealth, or public office.
The party further demanded that investigators uncover the entire structure of what it described as the country’s drug cartel.
CMC said Liberians deserve to know who financed the operations, imported narcotics into the country, transported and stored the drugs, provided protection for trafficking activities, and who ultimately stood to profit from the illicit trade.
It also called for authorities to investigate financial transactions, communications, assets, and institutional relationships connected to the alleged network.
At the same time, the opposition emphasized that its demands are not based on speculation.
“CMC is not demanding conviction through rumor or political accusation,” the statement noted. “We are demanding an evidence-based investigation, due process, and prosecution without fear or favor.”
September Rally Postponed
The party disclosed that it has been consulting opposition political parties and other national stakeholders regarding the planned September 5 peaceful protest, describing the campaign against drug trafficking as a national concern rather than a partisan issue.
CMC said those consultations would continue as it seeks to build a broader democratic coalition capable of holding the government accountable.
As a result of what it described as the President’s initial response, the party announced that it would postpone the planned demonstration.
The decision, according to CMC, is intended to provide the government with an opportunity to transform recent administrative measures into a credible, transparent, and comprehensive criminal investigation.
