Monrovia – The University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU) has announced a large-scale national protest against members of the House of Representatives, set for November 14, 2024, at the Capitol Building in Monrovia.
During a news conference on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, ULSU Student Representative William B. Sando revealed that the protest, dubbed “Lead or Leave,” aims to mobilize over 50 citizens, including students, civil society organizations, women, and other groups from Monrovia and surrounding areas.
“It is about time that we, the citizens, make our lawmakers, particularly the 73 representatives in the House, understand and recognize that they were elected by the people to serve their interests and not their own,” Sando emphasized.
He added that the planned protest is intended to be peaceful and will allow for the free movement of non-participating citizens. “This ‘Lead or Leave’ campaign is driven by the masses of this country, who believe that the constitutional power is inherent in the people, not in the leaders.”
According to Sando, participants will march to the Capitol Building to demand that legislators prioritize the interests of the Liberian people. “If they fail to heed this mandate, the people themselves will take control of the Capitol, seize the gavel, and conduct their own legislative business.”
Sando also commended Liberians for boycotting the “March to the Capitol” protest organized by Vandalark Patrick, a member of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. ULSU had distanced itself from the protest, labeling it a financially motivated action.
“The University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU) extends its revolutionary thanks and appreciation to the people of Liberia for refusing to participate in a ‘monetized protest’ under the banner ‘March on the Capitol’,” he said.
Sando praised the public’s decision to abstain from what ULSU considers a financially driven movement, reinforcing that Liberia’s struggles are not for sale.
“ULSU now calls upon the youth, student community, and all patriotic Liberians to join in large numbers on November 14, 2024, for a mass campaign under the rallying cry ‘Lead or Leave’,” he urged.
He explained that this campaign is a call to action for lawmakers and leaders to meet the needs of their constituents or face demands for radical change.
Meanwhile, ULSU condemned a recent “Parent Teacher Association” meeting called by the Acting University President, Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh, calling it an attempt to silence critical student voices at the University of Liberia. Sando argued that this move by the UL President is a deliberate attempt to stifle freedom of expression within the university, which he described as “the most conscious and energetic terrain in the country.”
Additionally, ULSU called on the Visitor to the University and President of Liberia, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, to appoint a permanent president for the University of Liberia. The Union stressed the need for stable and accountable leadership.
“After observing the extended interim leadership appointed by the Visitor at our premier institution of learning, it is imperative to remind the President of Liberia that the three-month period has elapsed,” Sando stated.
“We also remind President Boakai of his 2023 campaign promise to prioritize quality education for Liberian students, urging him to deliver on this commitment and address systemic challenges in the education sector,” Sando and fellow representative Abraham J. Garpehn emphasized.
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