Mulbah K. Morlu, Executive Director of the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) and former Chairman of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), has launched a scathing attack on President Joseph Boakai’s leadership, raising concerns about his mental and physical fitness to govern. Speaking during the celebration of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) Day, Morlu described Boakai’s presidency as a “puppet leadership” that is undermining Liberia’s democratic stability.
Morlu asserts that President Boakai has become a “lame-duck, rubber-stamp, and puppet president,” questioning his ability to effectively lead the nation. He claims that Boakai’s health is deteriorating to the point of impairing his decision-making and overall governance.
Citing Boakai’s recent AFL Day inspection, Morlu argues that the president’s inability to walk a short distance unaided raises serious concerns about his fitness for office. He suggests that the president’s choice to ride in the back of a vehicle to review the troops—rather than walking, as is customary—was not a security measure but a necessity dictated by his declining health.
“Imagine a president who had to be carefully guided onto the back of a pickup truck to inspect the troops during an important national program—breaking a long-standing tradition due to apparent concerns that he might be too unfit to walk less than 120 yards!” Morlu remarked.
Beyond physical limitations, Morlu also accuses Boakai of suffering from cognitive decline, alleging that he struggles to articulate his thoughts, forgets key details at official events, and appears disengaged at international forums. According to Morlu, these health-related challenges place Liberia in “uncharted and dangerous territory” regarding national security and governance, warning that the nation risks further political instability if unaddressed.
“It saddens me to reach this conclusion. Although I opposed Mr. Boakai during the presidential campaign, I wished him well after his victory. I even gave my tacit support in voluntary silence for a year, hoping he would prove me wrong. Unfortunately, he did not,” Morlu stated.
He further claims that Boakai’s administration has exceeded previous governments in corruption and mismanagement, accusing political factions within the government of enriching themselves while ordinary citizens suffer. He dismisses recent suspensions and dismissals of public officials as mere “window dressing,” asserting that corrupt officials are simply leaving with stolen wealth rather than being held accountable.
“A president with sound mental faculties and a genuine commitment to fighting corruption would not only dismiss these individuals but also take decisive action to recover the stolen funds and redirect them for the public good,” he argued.
Drawing comparisons to U.S. politics, Morlu likens Boakai’s situation to that of former U.S. President Joe Biden, whose alleged cognitive decline led to concerns about his ability to serve. However, he argues that Boakai’s case is worse, as he still has nearly five years left in office.
“Most men in their 80s experience a regression in cognition and behavior that resembles childhood—a reality that regime surrogates are well aware of, even if they dismiss it with profane deflections while continuing to exploit Joseph Nyemah Boakai for their own political greed and advantage,” Morlu concluded.
