Accuses The Executive Of Illegally Supporting “Majority Bloc”
By Frank Sainworla, Jr., fsainworla@yahoo.com
“Politics In Its Worst Form And Tyranny In Its Best Form”-Cllr. Fonati Koffa
Violence erupted at the Capitol Building—seat of Liberia’s Legislature– today, Monday, December 9, 2024, the latest in a series of showdown that has engulfed the House of Representatives in the protracted leadership crisis, with embattled Speaker, Cllr. Fonati Koffa accusing the Executive Branch of government of taking side and fueling “tyranny”.
Some Lawmakers and supporters of the rival blocs were said to have been injured in the commotion, which is said to have sparked the intervention of riot and armed state police who later fired teargas, just few days after the Supreme Court’s ruling urged the contending parties to return to work and resolve the impasse. Supreme Court’s Ruling Directs Lawmakers: Go Back To The Capitol And Resolve Their House Leadership Saga – News Public Trust
Several staffers and others were reportedly injured, including Gbarpolu County Representative, Luther Collins (a member of Koffa’s “minority bloc), who Speaker Koffa (opposition CDC lawmaker) claimed was hit by baton by the national Police (LNP) and was taken to the hospital, something that this news outlet cannot independently verified.
At the same time, a leading member of the minority bloc, Montserrado County District #10 Rep. Yekeh Kolubah was earlier accused of physically attacking a police officer whose uniform was torn.
In the wake Monday’s chaos, the “majority bloc” who prior to the high court’s ruling announced the election of a new Speaker, Montserrado County District #11 Rep. Richard Koon of the ruling Unity Party, were holding a hearing on the 2025 draft national budget. Koon and Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah presided over that in one of the offices at the Capitol Building, with top officials of the Executive appearing.
The presence of Deputy Finance Minister for Budget Tanneh Brunson and Deputy Finance Minister for Administration and the Deputy Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) facing the “majority bloc”, some political analysts saw it as a clear indication of recognition of legitimacy of the bloc by the Executive Branch of government, which is headed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
This is the second hearing held by the “majority bloc” that has seen the presence of top officials in the Executive. Weeks ago, Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyumalin, Transport Minister Sirleaf Tyler and Mo Ali, Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) testified before a plenary session held by this group in the joint chambers of the Legislature.
“Police complicit in the tyranny”
At a news briefing in his office at the Capitol earlier today, embattled Speaker Koffa openly blamed the Executive for fueling the leadership row at the House which has dragged on for nearly two months.
He said Liberians are now seeing “Politics in its worst form and tyranny in its best form.”
Tyranny is traced to the Greco-Roman world in the encyclopedia Britannica. It defines this term as, “an autocratic form of rule in which one individual exercised power without any legal restraint. In antiquity the word tyrant was not necessarily pejorative and signified the holder of absolute political power. In its modern usage the word tyranny is usually pejorative and connotes the illegitimate possession or us…”
The Boakai government took office last January on the mantra of upholding the rule of law and advancing good governance and democracy.
According to embattled Speaker Koffa, “the so-called absentee lawmakers” are getting help from the Executive in carrying out “their treasonous plot”.
However, the Executive Mansion is yet to react to the claim. But when the confusion to remove the House Speaker started, the Boakai government distanced itself from reports that a huge amount of United States dollars was made available to induce many Representatives to join the bandwagon.
The Liberia National Police (LNP), which is yet to counter the embattled House Speaker claim, has also been accused of being “complicit in the tyranny” and branded as “party” to the ongoing House leadership saga.