In a letter addressed to former U.S. President Donald Trump, Jefferson T. Koijee, former Mayor of Monrovia and current Secretary General of Liberia’s main opposition party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), paints a grim picture of Liberia under President Joseph Boakai’s administration. Koijee’s appeal centers around three critical areas: the looming deportation of Liberian nationals from the U.S., the alleged deterioration of human rights and democratic principles within Liberia, and the purported misuse of U.S. foreign aid contributing to the nation’s ongoing crises. He implores Trump to intervene, invoking past acts of compassion towards Liberians and emphasizing the potential to bolster U.S.-Liberia relations while safeguarding vulnerable individuals.
Koijee’s plea against the deportation of 1,563 Liberians currently residing in the U.S. highlights the precarious situation they would face upon returning to their homeland. He argues that many fled political persecution and violence, have established lives in the U.S., contribute significantly to the American economy, and provide crucial remittances to their families in Liberia. Deporting them to a nation grappling with alleged widespread rape, murder, and economic collapse, as Koijee describes Liberia under Boakai, would be tantamount to condemning them to danger and devastating their families. He reminds Trump of his previous extensions of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and the enactment of the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF) provision as evidence of his commitment to protecting Liberians.
Koijee’s letter then delves into the alleged political turmoil and human rights abuses occurring within Liberia. He accuses President Boakai of orchestrating a legislative coup d’état by leveraging state resources to remove the legally elected Speaker of the House, thereby consolidating power and interfering with fiscal policy. This action, according to Koijee, constitutes a treasonable act as defined by the Liberian Constitution, undermining the foundational principles of democracy. The letter further alleges a disturbing rise in human rights violations, citing over one hundred reported deaths attributed to state-sponsored persecution, sodomy, gang rape, police brutality, and ritualistic killings. He criticizes Boakai’s failure to reconcile the nation and address these atrocities, which he claims exacerbates Liberia’s deep wounds and hinders national development and peace.
The former mayor also details alleged instances of political harassment targeting opposition voices. He points to violent police invasions of the CDC headquarters, resulting in property damage and attacks on peaceful citizens. He further accuses Boakai of orchestrating an intimidation attempt on former President George Weah at the Roberts International Airport, involving the deployment of soldiers and subsequent assaults on Weah’s supporters. Even the arbitrary dismissal of employees at the Monrovia City Government for expressing grievances on social media is presented as evidence of Boakai’s suppression of dissent and violation of constitutional rights.
Koijee’s accusations of corruption within the Boakai administration are equally damning. He contrasts the President’s initial “Rescue Mission” pledge to fight corruption with what he portrays as rampant financial misconduct. He cites several examples of alleged misappropriation of funds, including unaccounted miscellaneous expenses, off-budget expenditures, unauthorized transactions on the President’s personal debit card, a coerced resignation payment to the former Central Bank Governor, and fraudulent inflation of vehicle costs for the CEO of the National Oil Company of Liberia. These alleged acts of corruption, according to Koijee, are occurring while millions of Liberians lack access to basic necessities such as clean water, electricity, employment, and healthcare.
The misuse of U.S. foreign aid is a recurring theme throughout Koijee’s letter. He calls for a full-scale investigation into previous USAID grants, particularly the $1.5 million allocated for voter confidence. He claims that, as Mayor of Monrovia, he warned the U.S. government about the potential manipulation of electoral integrity through these funds. He implicates the Election Coordinating Committee (ECC), the recipient of these funds, in collusion with the ruling Unity Party, and criticizes USAID’s unwavering support for the ECC as an unacceptable intrusion into Liberia’s political system. Koijee points to the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, under Elon Musk, as an example of exposing corruption within USAID and in countries like Liberia, urging similar scrutiny of aid distribution in Liberia.
Finally, in a seemingly unrelated note, Koijee commends Trump’s actions regarding religious freedom in the U.S., referencing the restoration of the Bible’s prominence in the White House and the establishment of the Faith Advisory Council. He draws a parallel between Trump and the biblical figure of Cyrus, who liberated the Jews from Babylon, suggesting a shared commitment to preserving religious freedom and combating what he terms “radical gender ideologies.” This concluding remark appears designed to appeal to Trump’s personal beliefs and potentially garner his sympathy for the broader appeal concerning Liberia.
