Liberian Lawmakers Stage Quiet Protest Against Speaker’s Leadership
In a surprising turn of events, a meeting intended to foster unity between Liberian President Joseph Boakai and members of the House of Representatives ended with a quiet protest. Seven lawmakers, who supported former Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, declined to participate in a post-meeting photo with the President, citing continued marginalization by current Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon.
The meeting, held at the Executive Mansion, was meant to promote collaboration between the Legislative and Executive branches and reaffirm commitment to national development. However, underlying tensions surfaced when the lawmakers were asked to gather for a group photograph. The seven lawmakers who walked away from the photo session, including Bong County District #5 Representative Eugene JM Kollie, expressed dissatisfaction with Speaker Koon’s handling of House affairs.
Representative Kollie accused Speaker Koon of misleading his colleagues about the meeting’s nature and failing to address their grievances. "We were told that the President had called us, but it was the Speaker who arranged the meeting. There was a lack of transparency, and we weren’t given the chance to speak our minds," Kollie said. He also noted that many unresolved issues remain unaddressed, despite the technical end of the impasse that disrupted House activities.
The controversy surrounding Speaker Koon’s reorganization of House committees has been a major point of contention. Upon taking office, he reassigned nearly all leadership roles within major committees, a move viewed as retaliatory by many lawmakers. The reassignments affected lawmakers still within their three-year term, guaranteed by House Rules, and did not follow the required legal procedures.
While some lawmakers, like Nimba County District #7 Representative Musa Hassan Bility, took a reconciliatory tone, others strongly opposed Speaker Koon’s actions. Bility acknowledged the discontent but saw the meeting with the President as a necessary step toward reconciliation. "Liberia must come first. Politics will always be there, but the work of the people must take precedence," he said.
The quiet protest by the seven lawmakers has brought attention to the underlying issues within the Legislature. Whether Speaker Koon chooses to reconcile with his dissenting colleagues or continues on his current path will determine the future of his leadership and the tone of legislative governance under the Boakai administration. As the situation unfolds, one thing is clear: the Liberian people are watching, and the actions of their leaders will have a lasting impact on the country’s development and stability.