The National Association of the Kpelle and Kpelle-Speaking People of Liberia (NAKKSPL) have launched a solidarity fundraising campaign in support of former Liberian Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor amid allegations and legal proceedings involving the former government official.
The initiative, described by organizers as a “Dollar Rally,” was launched in Gbarnga, Bong County, on Saturday, September 12, 2026, with community leaders calling on Kpelle and Kpelle-speaking people to stand by Madam Taylor during what they described as a difficult period.
Organizers said the campaign is intended to give financial support for Taylor’s legal team and medical expenses, while stressing that the initiative is not intended to interfere with Liberia’s justice system or determine the outcome of the case.
Speaking at the launch, NAKKSPL National Chairman, J. Lepolu Torlon, said Taylor remains part of the Kpelle community and should not be abandoned because of her current legal calamity.
“A few weeks ago, our daughter was alleged of multiple charges under the law,” Torlon told supporters.
He described Taylor as a former senator, mother and vice president of Liberia, emphasizing her connection to the Kpelle community, saying that the campaign was based on cultural and community ties rather than political affiliation.
“We think in this difficult time, it is not time to abandon your own,” he said, adding that Taylor “remains an integral part of our family.”
Torlon said contributions are already coming from Liberians and supporters in the United States, Europe, Asia and different parts of Liberia, including rural communities.
He also seeks to distance the campaign from Liberia’s partisan political divisions, insisting that the gathering was not intended to support or oppose any political party.
“Let people not politicize this,” he said. “We are coming together because we are Kpelle and Kpelle-speaking people.”
Torlon further emphasized that the campaign should not be interpreted as an attempt to pressure the courts or influence the judicial process.
“Our solidarity rally does not in any way interfere with the law of Liberia,” he said.
He characterized the situation as a legal matter involving Taylor and the law rather than a political confrontation between the former vice president and the current administration.
The launch was also attended by James T. Zuannah, chairman of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), who stressed that he was participating as a Kpelle person rather than speaking on behalf of a political party.
“This is not a CDC thing. This is not a Unity Party thing,” Zuannah said.
According to Zuannah, the common bond among participants was their Kpelle identity and desire to demonstrate solidarity with one of their own.
Organizers encouraged contributions ranging from small amounts in Liberian dollars to larger donations, saying every contribution would demonstrate solidarity.
During the rally, several citizens appealed to supporters to contribute toward what was described as Taylor’s legal and medical expenses.
Taylor’s previous senior roles in Liberian public life have made the fundraising campaign politically sensitive. She served as senator for Bong County before becoming vice president under former President George Weah.
Supporters at the Gbarnga event said her previous public service was among the reasons they wanted to demonstrate solidarity with her. However, speakers repeatedly insisted that supporting Taylor did not amount to declaring her innocent or challenging the authority of the courts.
The rally also highlights the continuing role of ethnic, cultural, and community identities in Liberia’s public life. Kpelle people constitute one of Liberia’s largest ethnic communities, with Kpelle-speaking populations spread across several counties, including Bong, Lofa, Margibi and parts of Montserrado.
