Urges Pres. Boakai To Act: But Will The Liberian Leader Bulge?

PHOTO: Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence and Sen. Amara Konneh (above) and embattled CSA boss Josiah Joekai (below)

By Frank Sainwola, Jr., newspublictrust@gmail.com

The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah F. Joekai has fallen in trouble with the Liberian Senate, as its plenary has approved a recommendation from its joint Human Rights and Judiciary Committee holding him for violating provisions of the National Code of Conduct barring presidential appointees from actively involving in political activities

While rejecting the claim at the time, Joekai instead justified that he was exercising his constitutional rights as a citizen of Liberia, saying that he was not officially a member of any political party.

In May this year, Gbarpoli County Senator Amara Konneh formally complained the CSA boss to the plenary about being seen wearing party-branded paraphernalia with the inscription “NIMBO”, the name of a political movement led by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah to support Boakai’s 2029 reelection bid, a claim Joekai has strongly dismissed. Ombudsman Office Remains Silent, As Liberian 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 T𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐞 𝐂𝐒𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐝ly Breaching Code Of Conduct – News Public Trust

The Senate’s plenary took the decision to have the CSA boss reprimanded yesterday, Thursday, July 16, 2026 during their regular Thursday session at the Capitol Building in Monrovia.

 Sen. Konneh’s position is backed by Part V of the National Code of Conduct Act which says:

“5.1 All Officials appointed by the President of the Republic of Liberia shall not: a) engage in political activities, canvass or contest for elected offices; b) use Government facilities, equipment or resources in support of partisan or political activities; c) serve on a campaign team of any political party, or the campaign of any independent candidate,” says the Code of the Conduct law.

Articles 5.3 and 5.8 goes further to explain why such action is considered a breach of the National Code of Conduct Act.

“5.3 It is unlawful for any public official to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or to attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of such other persons to vote or not to vote as he may choose, or of causing such other persons to vote for, or not to vote for, any candidate for any elected public office.

“In taking the decision, the Senate Plenary recommended to the Chief Executive several reprimands, ranging from suspension, fines to dismissal,” says a Senate press release published on its official Facebook page.

So far, the Executive Mansion has not reacted to the move taken by the Senate. Whether President Boakai will heed to their call on him to suspend, fine or dismiss his very influential CSA boss, Joekai remains to be seen.