The Liberia National Students’ Union (LINSU), one of Africa’s oldest and most prominent student movements, has issued a strong condemnation of the planned July 17 protest, describing it as a politically motivated event disguised as civic action. In a press statement released on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the union also called on the Liberian government to sever all ties with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, labeling the company as corrupt and exploitative.
In the statement signed by LINSU Secretary-General Darius S. Toweh and approved by President James K. Washington, the union distanced itself from what it termed an “opportunistic mobilization” being spearheaded by “displaced political caricatures,” particularly naming Mulbah K. Morlu, former Chairman of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
“Mr. Morlu has no political or moral credibility to lecture this nation on governance or accountability,” the statement read. LINSU argued that while protest is a constitutional right, the July 17 action lacks ideological clarity, a student-inclusive agenda, and is instead driven by personal political rehabilitation efforts.
The group emphasized its historical commitment to justice, peace, and governance, warning against what it called a “hijacking of mass consciousness” by former state actors they accuse of previously suppressing democratic expression.
LINSU Declares Zoomlion ‘Persona Non Grata’:
In a related development, LINSU also denounced attempts by Ghanaian waste management company Zoomlion to re-enter Liberia’s sanitation sector. The student union declared Zoomlion and its CEO, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, persona non grata in Liberia, citing past corruption allegations and failed service delivery both in Liberia and Ghana.
“Zoomlion represents everything we are trying to get rid of in Liberia: foreign extraction, unaccountable monopolies, and the sidelining of Liberian innovation,” the union asserted.
Citing a World Bank ban over alleged corruption, as well as repeated controversies surrounding the company in Ghana, LINSU warned that Zoomlion’s re-engagement in municipal contracts with the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) would undermine national efforts toward transparency and environmental reform.
Call to Government:
LINSU has called on the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), the National Legislature, and other regulatory bodies to immediately disqualify Zoomlion from bidding on any public sanitation contracts. The union also urged the Unity Party-led administration under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to demonstrate its commitment to clean governance not by rhetoric, but by decisive actions that protect public interest.
“Our streets and communities deserve better. Our young people in the sanitation sector deserve opportunity—not monopolization by disgraced foreign firms,” LINSU stated.
The declaration comes just days ahead of the July 17 protest, further intensifying the political discourse surrounding governance, accountability, and youth involvement in national decision-making.
