In the wake of the devastating fire that damaged parts of the Capitol Building, embattled House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa has raised serious concerns for his safety after his office was broken into and the locks on the House’s main chamber door were unauthorizedly changed.
The identity of the perpetrators remains unknown, but Speaker Koffa has expressed alarm over the security situation at the Capitol, particularly given the presence of the Liberian National Police and other security personnel. He questioned how such incidents could occur with security forces present.
“It is unfortunate that political differences have escalated to the point where Liberia seems to be at a crossroads,” Koffa lamented, emphasizing the deepening divisions within the House of Representatives.
The House has been mired in a bitter power struggle since July, with Koffa’s minority bloc clashing with the majority bloc, pushing for his removal. This ongoing conflict has severely disrupted legislative activities, raising concerns about governance in the country.
Speaking at a press briefing, Koffa decried the situation as a departure from democratic principles. “Democracy is gradually being undermined, with the rule of law no longer at the forefront. People are now using these divisions to drive lawmakers out of their offices forcibly,” he stated.
He also questioned the direction of the nation’s political climate, asking, “Is this the new politics? Is this what we have reduced ourselves to?”
Koffa revealed that while the second and first floors of the Capitol Building were powered, the third floor—where his office is located—was left without electricity. He speculated that these incidents were part of a strategy by the majority bloc to disrupt legislative operations and create chaos.
The Speaker accused the majority bloc of obstructing modernization efforts, including installing security measures such as CCTV cameras, which he believes could have helped identify the perpetrators. “These measures were part of our modernization plan, but the majority bloc has deliberately sabotaged them,” he alleged.
While Koffa stopped short of directly blaming any specific individuals or groups for the fire at the Capitol, he suggested that these coordinated incidents were politically motivated.
