By Amos Harris
The Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia has officially endorsed the nationwide protest planned for July 17. Organized by the group Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), the protest aims to challenge what organizers describe as worsening economic hardship, growing unemployment, and systemic governance failures under the Boakai-Koung administration. Alongside the endorsement, SUP is calling for an independent investigation into Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung over allegations linked to Liberia’s drug crisis.
According to SUP Secretary-General David Howard Jr., the student movement is joining the demonstration because it provides a critical platform for Liberians to demand greater accountability from the government. Howard also announced that SUP will organize its own “March for Jobs and Justice” on July 26 to further advocate for sustainable employment opportunities and improved public administration. The student group emphasized that the rising prices of basic commodities, alongside compounding challenges in the healthcare and education sectors, have placed unbearable pressure on ordinary Liberians. Consequently, SUP is calling on labor unions, market women, youth groups, and progressive organizations nationwide to actively participate in the July 17 protest.
On the issue of narcotics trafficking, SUP urged Vice President Koung to voluntarily submit to an independent, international, and unrestricted investigation regarding the reported $19.2 million cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport. The organization acknowledged that photographs circulating on social media showing the Vice President with individuals reportedly linked to the case do not, by themselves, constitute evidence of criminal wrongdoing. However, it argued that the images have raised legitimate public concerns that require a transparent investigation. The student movement maintained that executive authority, political influence, or constitutional immunity should never be used to shield public officials from scrutiny or obstruct legitimate criminal investigations.
Furthermore, SUP officially rejected the investigative report released by the Liberia National Police regarding the airport cocaine seizure, characterizing it as incomplete and fundamentally flawed. The student movement alleged that the police failed to adequately explain a reported 48-hour delay in securing the cargo, omitted critical financial and digital evidence, and failed to identify any government officials or security personnel who may have facilitated the shipment. Although police have announced that five suspects have been charged while four others remain at large, SUP insisted that significant gaps remain. Based on these concerns, the student movement called for the immediate dismissal of Police Director Gregory Coleman, arguing that his removal is necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation and restore public confidence in the Liberia National Police.
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