President Boakai’s ruling Unity Party cries neglect and lack of jobs for its partisans.
By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Monrovia, Liberia; August 19, 2025 – Ruling Unity Party (UP) Chairman, Rev. Luther Tarpeh, has sharply criticized government officials for neglecting the party’s grassroots supporters, describing lack of employment opportunities for partisans as “very degrading.”
Speaking during a live appearance on state-broadcaster ELBC, on Monday, August 18, 2025, Tarpeh expressed frustration and issued a stern warning to officials who, according to him, have distanced themselves from those who fought tirelessly to bring the Unity Party to power.
“We will confront you and let the President know that you are not serving in the best interest of the Liberian people,” Chairman Tarpeh threatened.
Acknowledging growing dissatisfaction among UP partisans across the country, he emphasized that many loyal supporters are still jobless, while some government officials prioritize their own relatives and friends.
It is very degrading that some of the party leaders up to now do not have a job, he added.
He further warned, “I know what these party officials go through, and I feel for them. I will say this as a caveat to all government officials, that if you sit there and there [is an] opening, maybe retirement, and you sit there and neglect our partisans, we will not take it easy with you.”
Chairman Tarpeh reminded government officials that it was the ordinary people, those who campaigned under rain, sun, and in the mud, who made their electoral victory possible.
It was the sweat and blood of these young people that gave them the jobs. The sooner they realize it, the better for them, Tarpeh urged, directing his message to ministers and agency heads.
He had just returned from the African Political Summit in Ghana under the auspices of the African Union (AU), where he also engaged in discussions on pressing continental issues.
Speaking further, he acknowledged the growing drug problem and assured that the government is working to bring the crisis under control, assuring the public, “Every effort is being made in that direction.”
Despite his strong remarks, Rev. Tarpeh himself is facing internal criticism. Some Unity Party partisans argue that he and other officials holding both government and party positions are violating Liberia’s Code of Conduct, specifically Section 5.8, which prohibits public servants from using official positions to influence political outcomes, as well as engaging in active political management while in office.
Critics are demanding that such officials either step down from their government posts or relinquish their roles in the party.
Mounting frustration among the Unity Party’s base has sparked protests across the country. Recently, dozens of party supporters gathered at President Boakai’s residence in Rehab community, Paynesville, demanding jobs they say were promised them during the 2023 campaign.
These protesters, many of whom were active campaigners for Boakai, expressed anger over being sidelined despite their sacrifices.
The internal rift within the ruling party highlights growing disillusionment among its base. As job expectations rise and promises remain unfulfilled, the Unity Party leadership faces mounting pressure to deliver, or risk losing the very foundation that brought it to power. Editing by Jonathan Browne
