By Festus Poquie
It was one year ago on September 17 that Joseph Boakai, then a presidential candidate, launched the campaign that would ultimately lead him to victory in Liberia’s November 2023 general elections.
The then ex-vice president appealed to the country’s youths to back his presidential bid, promising a better future than what main rival then incumbent President George Weah was offering.
On that day Boakai drew an impressive crowd of tens of thousands of people at Monrovia’s Antoinette Tubman Stadium in what was a last-ditch attempt to secure the coveted office of president lost to Weah in 2017.
His less than two minutes speech at the opposition Unity Party’s rally targeted young people. “I will protect you from kush,” he told supporters who were dancing and chanting change slogan under a heavy downpour of rain.
Kush here is a locally cheap made substance, which many young people in the Mano River Countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia are becoming addicted to with fatal consequences.
One year later, as Boakai marks the anniversary of that seminal moment, he finds himself facing growing frustration from Liberians impatient for the change he pledged.
In a Facebook post commemorating the occasion, the seventy-nine-year-old President reaffirmed his “unwavering commitment” to the promises made during the campaign.
However, his words have done little to quell the mounting criticism from citizens who feel the new administration has been slow to deliver.
“From January until now, civil servants’ salaries have not been increased,” lamented Elijah Gboyah in the comments section. “The health sector is very poor, and the youths are unemployed. We believed in your ability, do something speedily Mr. President.”
Others, like Amos Z. Tomah, pointed to the President’s apparent inaction on issues like corruption and the extractive industries, where foreign interests continue to dominate.
“Actions are not taken on corruption reports adequately and the extractive sectors remain in the hands of the foreigners, using Liberians anyway and anyhow!” he wrote.
The crescendo of criticism reflects the high expectations placed on Boakai when he was elected in a hard-fought victory for his Unity Party Alliance. Many Liberians were eager to move past the tumultuous Ebola and COVIS-19 crises and civil wars of previous decades, hoping Boakai’s decades of government experience would translate to tangible progress.
Yet eight months into his term, that progress has yet to materialize for many. Infrastructure upgrades, public sector reforms, and job creation initiatives promised during the campaign have faced delays or remained elusive.
Garvin, another commenter, captured the growing sense of disillusionment, writing: “We didn’t vote for this. You need to be serious and operational in your approaches. You’re too slow in decision making.”
As Boakai marks this milestone, he must deal with the sobering reality that the honeymoon period of his presidency has given way to increasing impatience. The President’s ability to regain the trust of the Liberian people and deliver on his ambitious agenda will be critical in the years ahead.
Six of the eight months in office have seen a contracted economy: no investment low consumer spending, folding businesses.
With the country’s economic and social challenges still looming large, Boakai faces a widen window to demonstrate that the promise of his campaign launch can indeed be fulfilled. The next 63 months may well determine the trajectory of his legacy.
