-STAND Reacts to Pre. Boakai’s Private Jet Justification
Monrovia,– The Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), alongside the WE THE PEOPLE Movement, has issued a scathing rebuke of President Joseph Boakai’s recent defense of his private jet usage, calling it a “betrayal of public trust” and a stark departure from his campaign promises of frugality and servant leadership.
The controversy stems from President Boakai’s recent BBC interview, where he argued that “some occasions require” private jet travel—a statement that has ignited fury among Liberians still grappling with skyrocketing prices, a crumbling healthcare system, and widespread poverty. The criticism cuts deeper as it comes from the same leader who once vowed to “ride a wheelbarrow to work if necessary” to demonstrate his commitment to ordinary citizens.
“From a promised ‘wheelbarrow presidency’ to private jets and luxury Lexus vehicles, this administration has abandoned the humility it preached,” said Mulbah K. Morlu, STAND Chairman, in a press statement. “While mothers struggle to afford rice and hospitals run out of basic medicines, the president’s priorities appear dangerously out of touch.”
The backlash follows a series of high-profile expenditures by the Boakai administration, including the procurement of luxury vehicles reportedly costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Critics argue that such spending directly violates Liberia’s Public Financial Management laws, which mandate transparency and fiscal responsibility in governance.
STAND’s statement warns that these actions risk eroding public confidence in democratic institutions, reviving fears of the entitlement culture that has plagued Liberia’s political class for decades. “Liberians voted for reform, not a return to elite impunity,” the group emphasized.
In response, STAND and allied movements are mobilizing for a major demonstration on July 17, dubbed the “Enough is Enough” Protest. Organizers describe it as a peaceful, constitutionally protected demand for accountable leadership and an end to reckless government spending.
“We call on all Liberians—young and old, in cities and villages—to join this movement,” Morlu declared. “This is not just about a private jet; it’s about whether our leaders remember they are servants of the people.”
Civil society groups, religious leaders, and international observers are being urged to monitor what activists describe as a growing governance crisis. With public frustration mounting, the July protest could mark a pivotal moment in Boakai’s presidency.
