Liberia: Majority Bloc Plans Reconciliation Retreat to Resolve Management Deadlock Amid Rule of Law Caucus’ Deliberate Press Convention
Monrovia – After practically three months of a management disaster marked by acrimonious claims and counterclaims, members of the House of Representatives seem exhausted and are leaning towards reconciliation and unification.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The deadlock started when a bunch of lawmakers initiated a decision to take away Speaker Fonati Koffa, accusing him of corruption and battle of curiosity. Failing to safe the constitutionally required two-thirds majority, the group leveraged its numerical energy to desert the principle chamber and maintain periods within the Joint Chamber. There, they declared the Speaker’s seat vacant, elected Representative Richard Koon as their Speaker, dissolved committees established by Speaker Koffa, and suspended seven lawmakers for 30 session days with out pay.
The pro-Koffa bloc sought intervention from the Supreme Court, however its ruling didn’t resolve the disaster. Earlier, an ECOWAS mediation mission additionally didn’t settle the deadlock. The scenario worsened when a hearth engulfed the Joint Chamber utilized by the Majority Bloc.
Currently, the House stays divided, with the Majority Bloc, below Rep. Koon, asserting legitimacy and conducting the House’s affairs. Meanwhile, the pro-Koffa group, missing quorum, continues to contest the legality of their colleagues’ actions.
A Call for Reconciliation
Amid the stalemate, each factions seem keen to hunt frequent floor. Acting Speaker, Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, serving as presiding officer of the Majority Bloc ain the absence of their Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, introduced plans for a reconciliation retreat geared toward therapeutic divisions inside the House.
“Considering the stalemate that engulfed the House prior to our extension, for the third quarter, as it is said the teeth and tongue can fuss, but they remain dutiful and together to work for the common good of their master. We have an obligation to the Liberian people for which we took oath. In this time, I am proposing to the leadership through the committee on Rules, Order and administration, to prepare a retreat for the House of Representatives to mend the broken wounds. the propose retreat should not be limited to lawmakers only, but inclusive of our staff. We can have a genuine reconciliation to trash out our differences,” Rep. Fallah, Deputy stated.
He acknowledged that the deadlock had affected all events and urged lawmakers to prioritize the Liberian folks’s pursuits over private victories.
“It is not about winning; it is about putting the Liberian people’s interest. These that things that happened in the past. We know that we have some issues there. If those issue are resolved, we will go. They have come back to join our colleagues,” he stated.
Dramatic Shift
The reconciliation effort gained momentum when 4 pro-Koffa lawmakers—Representatives Sumo Mulbah, Priscilla Cooper, Ellen Attoh Wreh, and Romeo Quioh—joined the Majority Bloc throughout a session at Monrovia City Hall, the place legislative periods are presently held.
Speaking shortly earlier than his departure to Ghana, Rep. Koon welcomed his colleagues and stated it was time to unite.
Plea for Pardon
Amid the decision for reconciliation, Rep. Prince Toles urged his colleagues to elevate the suspension of the seven lawmakers.
“I respectfully request that plenary lift the suspension of our colleagues for December 2024. This gesture, especially during the festive season, would embody unity and empathy,” Toles wrote in a letter to the Majority Bloc.
He continued: “As we have entered the festive season, a time dedicated to family and community support, I strongly advocate for our colleagues to receive their full salaries and benefits for December 2024, after which their suspensions can be resumed in January 2025. This action would enable them to fulfill their responsibilities to their families, communities, and constituents during this significant time of the year. Such a gesture would not only reflect our commitment to supporting one another as colleagues but also embody the values of empathy, unity, and solidarity that we, as representatives of the people, hold dear.”
His plea, nevertheless, acquired blended reactions. While some lawmakers supported the thought, others argued that any pardon mustn’t cowl December, because the month had already elapsed. Ultimately, the plenary voted to reject the request.
Rule of Law Caucus Steps In
As the Majority Bloc introduced plans for reconciliation, the Rule of Law Legislative Caucus scheduled a press convention to deal with the management deadlock and advocate for constitutional rules and legislative independence.
Caucus Chairman Musa Hassan Bility emphasised the necessity to restore normalcy and guarantee representatives successfully carry out their duties.
“The challenges before us as leaders of this country are immense, and the leadership of the House of Representatives is facing significant trials,” he stated I a message on his Facebook web page. “I am fully aware of the burden placed on me by this responsibility, and I embrace it with commitment and resolve. My focus will be to restore normalcy to the House and ensure that every representative can carry out their constitutional duty to represent their people effectively.”
Bility additional dedicated to upholding the rule of regulation and fostering a spirit of cooperation amongst his colleagues, emphasizing the necessity to prioritize the Liberian folks’s wants over particular person pursuits. “I pledge to lead faithfully, to listen to my colleagues, and to work toward our collective goals and aspirations,”
Challenges Ahead
Despite indicators of reconciliation, unresolved points stay potential obstacles. These embody the suspension of seven lawmakers, denial of their advantages, and the Majority Bloc’s insistence on evicting Speaker Koffa from his workplace and not using a Supreme Court ruling on his invoice of knowledge.
However, observers say the Majority Bloc’s plan for a reconciliation retreat and the Rule of Law Caucus’s dedication to dialogue sign hope for resolving the three-month-long disaster that has paralyzed the House of Representatives.
