Commercial drivers and operators across the country have threatened to stage a mass protest beginning Monday, August 18, 2025, under the slogan: “Park your cars.”
In a statement issued Thursday, transport workers-including taxi drivers, keh-keh riders, motorcyclists, and truck operators, announced their intention to shut down all commercial transportation in a peaceful but firm demand for justice, fair treatment, and respect for the law.
“This Monday, we must rise together in a peaceful but firm stand for our rights and our future,” the statement read. “Let the streets be silent, so the whole country hears our cry.”
Allegations of Harassment and Illegal Authority
At the center of the protest is widespread frustration over what drivers described as systematic harassment and intimidation by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), allegedly acting under instructions from the Liberia Traffic Management Incorporated (LTMI).
The group further condemned what it calls an “unlawful concession agreement” that has transferred key traffic and transport enforcement responsibilities to LTMI, powers they insist are legally reserved for the Ministry of Transport.
“This bad deal has handed LTMI powers that do not belong to it,” the statement continues. “It undermines not only our profession and our dignity but the very laws of the Republic of Liberia.”
A Call for Nationwide Solidarity
The call to action is being extended beyond Monrovia to every county in Liberia, with organizers urging all commercial drivers and vehicle operators to stay off the roads starting Monday.
“Brothers and sisters in the transport family, drivers, kehkeh riders, bike riders, truckers, and everyone who keeps Liberia moving, we must stand together,” the statement urged.
“One people. One voice. One Stand,” the statement noted.
No Official Response Yet
The Liberia National Police and the Ministry of Transport have not issued an official response to the planned protest, or the allegations raised by these commercial drivers.
Transport sector observers warn that a full shutdown could paralyze economic activity, disrupt daily commuting, and impact critical supply chains, especially in urban centers like Monrovia.
While organizers stress that the protest will be peaceful, the potential for unrest remains if grievances are not addressed.
What Drivers Are Demanding
Key issues at the heart of the protest include:
Immediate end to alleged police harassment and extortion
Cancellation of the LTMI concession agreement
Restoration of full traffic authority to the Ministry of Transport
Legal accountability and transparency in sector governance
With tensions rising and public transport services set to halt, many citizens are being advised to make alternative arrangements ahead of Monday’s planned shutdown.
