{"id":14657,"date":"2024-12-26T12:49:42","date_gmt":"2024-12-26T12:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/?p=14657"},"modified":"2024-12-26T12:49:42","modified_gmt":"2024-12-26T12:49:42","slug":"why-is-liberia-in-a-political-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/14657\/why-is-liberia-in-a-political-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is Liberia in a political crisis?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dounard Bondo*<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More than a week ago, a devastating blaze raged through the halls of power in Liberia\u2019s capital, Monrovia, when the parliament building caught fire, destroying vital offices and archives.<\/p>\n

The incident was the second fire in a week and came a day after several people were injured when police used tear gas to disperse protesters demanding the rule of law be followed in the removal of the speaker of the House of Representatives, amid an ongoing legislative impasse.<\/p>\n

While a link between the protests and the fire, in which no casualty was reported, has not been proven, the police have questioned several people, including Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa.<\/p>\n

So what happened in parliament last week, and how is it related to the current political tensions in Liberia?<\/p>\n

What happened at parliament?<\/h3>\n

It was early morning on December 18 when flames and thick black smoke engulfed the upper reaches of the parliament building, causing substantial damage inside.<\/p>\n

Several walls cracked from the intense heat; offices and the legislature\u2019s joint chamber were destroyed. Firefighters using long hoses and water jets contained the spread of the blaze and it was brought under control.<\/p>\n

Visiting the site, President Joseph Boakai condemned \u201ca lot of wanton destruction\u201d in the country, and suggested he believed the fire was politically motivated to divide the country.<\/p>\n

The incident came eight days after an earlier fire scare happened within the legislative complex, leaving a wing of the complex cordoned off and causing no injuries. Fire services did not disclose what damage was done, but advised people to stay away from the area until investigations \u2013 that were ongoing before Wednesday\u2019s blaze \u2013 had concluded.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, a day before the December 18 fire, hundreds protested in the capital, calling for adherence to the rule of law amid a controversial move by lawmakers to remove Speaker Koffa \u2013 something that has resulted in a legislative impasse.<\/p>\n

That protest turned chaotic when police tried to disperse people. According to the police, the use of tear gas was necessitated when protesters broke the barricades to the designated \u201cnon-protest zones\u201d. They added that \u201conly non-lethal force\u201d was employed.<\/p>\n

Dozens of protesters were detained after last Tuesday\u2019s demonstrations, including Sekou Kalasco, an aide of former President George Weah.<\/p>\n

In the aftermath of last week\u2019s fire, authorities have not confirmed the cause, but police chief Gragray Coleman did not rule out arson.<\/p>\n

The police also took four people in for questioning, including Speaker Koffa and sitting legislator Frank Saah Foko, who had reportedly made threats against the parliament chambers.<\/p>\n

Foko, in addressing the legislative impasse, had earlier stated that \u201cif the legislature cannot prioritise the Liberian people\u2019s interest, they will burn down the session\u201d.<\/p>\n

Police chief Coleman noted last week: \u201cFoko made a threat that he would burn the joint chambers and just a day after, it was burned. So he needs to clarify his statement.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is the legislative impasse about?<\/h3>\n

Although the cause of the fire has not been announced, there are concerns in Liberia that it may be linked to the protests and legislative impasse in the House of Representatives \u2013 one of the two bodies that constitute parliament.<\/p>\n

The House is led by a speaker, a post currently held by Koffa, who is a lawyer and member of the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), the political party of former President Weah. However, opposing legislators have attempted to remove Koffa from office over claims that in his previous role as deputy speaker, he overspent his budget and manipulated the budget to divert millions of dollars to his office. He also faces accusations of conflict of interest regarding his law firm\u2019s dealings with businesses and government agencies.<\/p>\n

These allegations and attempts to remove him have caused months of tension in the country. In mid-October, a pro-Koffa legislator alleged that lawmakers in the House were being offered $15,000 by anti-Koffa lawmakers to sign a written resolution calling for his removal.<\/p>\n

Opponents, who have self-styled themselves as the \u201cmajority bloc\u201d in parliament, have denied the allegation of financial inducement, claiming that their resolution to remove the speaker is based on allegations of his gross corruption and financial mismanagement. Those legislators have \u201ccall[ed] on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to immediately launch an investigation into Koffa\u2019s financial dealings\u201d, they said.<\/p>\n

They have also boycotted parliamentary sessions, choosing instead to hold separate sessions, and have elected Richard Koon of the governing Unity Party, as speaker for their faction. Both factions are claiming their sessions are valid. The government had earlier submitted the budget to both sessions but has now recognised the anti-Koffa session as legitimate.<\/p>\n

Koffa became house speaker in January this year when he defeated Koon by five votes.<\/p>\n

Koffa has denied the allegations against him, condemned the anti-Koffa bloc and said the opposing legislators should return to session with their complaint against him, stating that if they do, he will \u201crecuse himself from presiding until the matter is resolved\u201d.<\/p>\n

Koffa also added that \u201cthe genuine issues that legislators raised to me personally were not listed on the resolution \u2013 issues involving committee assignment and interactions, and treatment of legislators by certain committee chairpersons \u2013 \u2026 those are the issues that will resolve this crisis\u201d.<\/p>\n

Weah has also accused the governing party of \u201cefforts to undermine democratic and constitutional institutions by using ill-gotten funds from the national coffers to influence the unjust removal of speaker\u201d. His CDC party has suspended 10 of its legislators who signed the resolution against Koffa.<\/p>\n

In the 73-member House, the CDC has 25 members, while the Unity Party has 11. There are 19 legislators who won as independents. The remaining 18 seats were won by nine other parties.<\/p>\n

According to Liberian law, a two-thirds majority of the House must vote for a speaker to be removed, and 37 legislators are needed to ensure a quorum. Thus far, only 45 members have signed the resolution against Koffa.<\/p>\n

So, while the anti-Koffa bloc has not met the required number of votes to remove the speaker, their boycotting of sessions has resulted in the pro-Koffa faction being unable to meet the quorum.<\/p>\n

This has resulted in a parliament deadlock, with core legislative functions brought to a halt, and delays in the passage of critical instruments, including the country\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n

Experts say the impasse also has other far-reaching consequences. \u201cThe legislative impasse has increased the mistrust Liberians have for their government,\u201d said Aaron Weah, a researcher and director of Ducor Institute, a Liberian think tank, \u201cWe also see on the sideline as a possible effect, the message that violence by non-state actors \u2013 like possibly the fire incident \u2013 can be used when negotiation shuts down,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

In November, Koffa proceeded to the Supreme Court requesting that the majority bloc\u2019s actions be declared illegitimate and that they be forced to return to service.<\/p>\n

In its ruling, the court said members of the majority bloc could not be forced to return to session as the House had no rules compelling attendance. It added that actions at the legislature not in conformity with the law should be declared illegal but did not specifically name which faction\u2019s actions are illegal.<\/p>\n

As a result of the ambiguity, both factions are claiming the actions of the other are illegal.<\/p>\n

Liberia\u2019s government has interpreted the court\u2019s ruling as being in favour of the majority bloc.<\/p>\n

However, Koffa told the press that \u201cthere is a conscious effort to ignore and defy the Supreme Court ruling\u201d, adding, \u201cthe absentee lawmakers are getting aid and comfort from the executive branch\u201d.<\/p>\n

For Gerald Yeakula, a programme officer at Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), a nonprofit and Liberia\u2019s national chapter of Transparency International, \u201c\u2060The situation at the Capitol represents an epic political battle to which the rule of law has all but succumbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is made evident by the fact that the Supreme Court recently failed to clearly call out which group of legislators are proceeding illegally,\u201d he said. \u201cThe likely triumph of the \u2018majority bloc\u2019 solidifies a dangerous precedent whereby a speaker can be removed by his colleagues without any cause as required by the constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Koffa has now approached the Supreme Court asking for clarity regarding the interpretation of the ruling.<\/p>\n

What next?<\/h3>\n

With Koffa\u2019s refusal to resign from the speakership despite pressure, analysts say the saga is far from over, and how it ends would not only set a precedent as to how legislative political matters can be settled but could have further implications for democracy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow the legislative impasse ends is very important for the country and our democracy going forward,\u201d said analyst Weah (no relation to former President Weah). \u201cThe legislative impasse is a signal of the kind of democracy Liberia will see in the coming years. We have a very young population, so if we do not hold our legislatures to rules and procedures, it will set the tone for how similar matters are settled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, the United States embassy and regional bloc ECOWAS have called for security agencies to investigate the cause of the blaze.<\/p>\n

The Liberian government has condemned the fire, with President Boakai calling on the Ministry of Justice and security agencies to investigate with a promise to deal with the culprits. The police offered a $5,000 reward for more information.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the Liberia National Fire Service has said an investigation is ongoing but has indicated that it suspects the fire was caused by flammable substances such as petrol, chemicals or grease.<\/p>\n

Separately, in a December 20 social media post, Richard Koon, the elected speaker of the anti-Koffa faction, said: \u201cThis attack on the Capitol Building cannot and will not go unpunished. It is a call to action for all of us to recommit to the principles of democracy, peace, and justice. Let us honour this painful moment by strengthening our resolve to build a Liberia where such tragedies are unthinkable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640<\/p>\n

* Liberia-based lawyer and journalist who usually covers stories on human rights, development, and politics with a focus on Liberia\u2019s\u00a0post-war justice.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Experts say the impasse also has other far-reaching consequences. \u201cThe legislative impasse has increased the mistrust Liberians have for their government,\u201d said Aaron Weah, a researcher and director of Ducor Institute, a Liberian think tank, \u201cWe also see on the sideline as a possible effect, the message that violence by non-state actors \u2013 like possibly the fire incident \u2013 can be used when negotiation shuts down,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14658,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":9,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_post_related":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","source_name":"Al Jazeera","source_url":"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2024\/12\/26\/parliament-blaze-and-a-deadlock-why-is-liberia-in-a-political-crisis","subtitle":""},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2362,35,27],"tags":[3637,3636,1453,366,1954],"class_list":["post-14657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-ana-politics","category-west-africa","tag-frank-saah-foko","tag-jonathan-fonati-koffa","tag-joseph-boakai","tag-liberia","tag-monrovia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14657"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14657\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qiraatafrican.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}