Yesterday’s rivals are now sitting at the same table. On Sunday, 27 September, five Liberian opposition parties signed a joint declaration in Monrovia against President Joseph Boakai’s government. Former head of state George Weah, who leads the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), signed alongside Alexander Cummings (Alternative National Congress), Simeon Freeman (Movement for Progressive Change), Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah (MOVEE) and Jonathan Mason (Union of Liberian Democrats Party). The Citizens Movement for Change was also approached but chose to stay out.
The opposition puts national sovereignty at the top of its list. The signatories say Guinea is occupying Liberian territory in Foya District, Lofa County, and that Monrovia has not pushed back hard enough. They accuse the authorities of failing to adequately protect the country’s territorial integrity and are calling for a diplomatic push through ECOWAS and the African Union.
Their second complaint is that the anti-corruption drive has double standards. As they see it, the courts pursue officials from the previous administration while looking the other way when it comes to those in power today. As an example, they point to former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, who was held in detention without an indictment. They also want answers on two files. The first is a US$10 million construction project in Foya, which they call « a flagship of corruption ». The second is a US$8 million transfer from the Central Bank to SIB Liberia in May 2024 that has never been explained. Finally, the signatories are demanding an independent inquiry into two cocaine seizures worth US$19 million and US$317 million. They say the police themselves raised the possibility that senior officials were involved.
The cybercrime law is another major source of anger. Officially, the act targets fraud, hacking and identity theft. Its critics focus on the sections covering « cyberbullying », « false information » and « offensive communication », which carry prison terms of two to five years and fines of up to US$5,000. The opposition argues that such broad wording allows the authorities to punish criticism, ridicule and political expression. It points to the arrest this month of a social media user who had shared an AI-generated image targeting Vice President Jeremiah Koung. The arrest triggered street protests, and the CDC says it will seek a judicial review of the law’s constitutionality.
The declaration reaches well beyond these three issues. The signatories accuse the government of ignoring Supreme Court rulings. They condemn demolitions that have affected more than 200,000 Liberians and raise concerns about health workers who are still on a voluntary payroll.
On the practical side, the five parties have set up a joint technical committee with two representatives from each party. Its job is to draft an action agenda, run thematic working groups and reach out to communities across all fifteen counties. For now, its backers refuse to call it an electoral alliance, and each party keeps its own identity and autonomy. The signatories do admit that if the partnership works, it will « naturally inform » their strategy for the 2029 presidential election. They have also warned the National Elections Commission that they will oppose any attempt to de-register parties.
Two and a half years before the vote, President Boakai now faces an opposition that is less divided than it used to be. It remains to be seen whether this union can survive the personal ambitions of its leaders.