Monrovia — The Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia has issued a scathing rebuke of the Boakai-Koung Administration, accusing the ruling Unity Party (UP) of weaponizing the plight of a brutalized student activist to distract from its failure to address mass unemployment and poverty.
In a fiery weekend statement, the nation's oldest student political movement reaffirmed its commitment to the planned April 14 "March for Jobs and Justice," while simultaneously announcing the expulsion of a high-ranking member and launching a blistering attack on the Minister of Youth and Sports.
At the heart of the current row is the case of Christopher Walter Sisulu Sivili, a student activist whose brutalization in 2022 became a rallying cry for the then-opposition Unity Party.
SUP now alleges that the UP, having secured state power partly by leveraging Sisulu's ordeal, has completely abandoned him.
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"The Unity Party does not care about Sisulu," the party stated, labelling the government's current rhetoric as "hypocritical propaganda."
SUP argued that despite presiding over all three branches of government for nearly three years, the administration has failed to provide justice or economic compensation for the young activist.
"They used him in 2022 and dumped him after taking power. Today, because we are exposing their leadership inability, they want to find shade under Sisulu," the Vanguard party charged, vowing to dismantle what they termed a "cheap charade."
The party clarified that the upcoming April 14 protest is a constitutional response to "interminable contradictions" within Liberian society, specifically citing the gap between the rising number of graduates and the lack of economic capacity to absorb them.
SUP also announced that it has officially welcomed endorsements for the march from various groups, including the CDC-COP, the District #17 Student Union, and the "Weah Out Campaign." Defending its decision to align with diverse political forces, SUP stated it would "do business with absolutely anyone" who suffers under the current administration's economic policies.
The statement took a particularly sharp turn toward Youth and Sports Minister Cornelia Kruah.
SUP accused the Minister of using taxpayer-funded "county tours" to destabilize youth and student organizations, including the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) and the Liberia National Students' Union (LINSU).
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The party alleged that Minister Kruah is actively attempting to sabotage the April 14 rally by funding "party deviants" to cause internal friction.
"Cornelia must be reminded that SUP has defeated individuals far bigger than her," the statement warned, threatening to end her ministerial career if she continued to interfere in the party's internal affairs.
Citing the need for "iron-fisted discipline" ahead of the national mobilization, SUP issued a stern warning to its militants and veterans against publicly challenging party positions.
The party emphasized the principle of Democratic Centralism, noting that once a decision is made through party structures, it is binding on all members.
To reinforce this, the 34th Politburo and Central Committee announced the immediate expulsion of Central Committee member Mohammed Gaytaweh.
The party accused Gaytaweh of acts contrary to its constitution and traditions, instructing the public to cease all dealings with him on behalf of the institution.
As the April 14 anniversary of the 1979 Rice Riots approaches, the atmosphere in Monrovia remains tense. SUP concluded by calling on its "ideological disciples" to remain resolute, describing the party as a "living historical monument of blood, sweat, and tears" that will not be silenced.
