Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Joseph Vallai has lashed out at elements of the opposition, accusing them of attempting to fabricate public outrage against President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s government. In a strongly worded public statement titled “You Cannot Manufacture Political Anger,” Vallai argued that genuine dissatisfaction with government actions sparks spontaneous protest — not staged, months-long planning efforts that repeatedly fail to ignite mass participation.
“Political anger cannot be manufactured,” Vallai stated. “If a government is truly unpopular, you don’t need three to four months to plan a protest — especially after three failed attempts.”
Referencing recent opposition-led demonstrations, including the protest against the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), the student march by Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) students, and the failed courthouse rally in support of Representative J. Fonati Koffa, Vallai suggested these efforts lacked genuine public backing.
“Today, Koffa and his colleagues are before the judicial system. That sends a message there is no ‘sacred cow’ under this President,” Vallai wrote, defending the administration’s stance on justice and accountability.
Highlighting the contrast between current opposition tactics and past successful protests led by the Council of Patriots (COP), of which he is a former Secretary General, Vallai emphasized the power of an informed and genuinely angry populace. “We organized the two largest protests in Liberia’s history bigger than 1979. All we did was go on radio and speak the truth. The people were already angry. They came out in their thousands.”
He recalled how Henry Costa, then abroad, called on Liberians to take to the streets in defense of Jestina Taylor, resulting in swift mass mobilization without fanfare.
“The difference is clear,” Vallai said. “Taking half a year to organize a protest only shows your protest lacks quorum.”
Vallai ended his statement with a sharp critique of opposition tactics: “You don’t become an effective opposition by throwing yourself around aimlessly or making a scene,” he wrote, noting that a friend took offense to his candid advice.
The statement is already sparking debate across political circles, as Liberia prepares for what many expect to be a politically active second half of 2025.
