Dear dishonourable lawbreakers:
An African proverb says that “when two elephants fight, the grass suffers”. Indeed, while two factions of the House of Representatives engage in a selfish battle of wills, Liberian people bear the brunt of your actions.
When I called (some) members of the Liberian Legislature ‘lawbreakers’ in my July 26 Oration, I was speaking in general terms. I now know that I was speaking specifically about you.
Let me be clear. You currently lack sufficient clout to expel the very Speaker you previously elected, so calling yourselves ‘the majority bloc’ will not make it so. If you feel aggrieved by the Speaker’s alleged infractions, use your powers of persuasion to oust him with a two-thirds majority of 49 (the only ‘majority’ that actually counts!).
Please note, however, that if it is proven you accepted bribes to sack the Speaker, we Liberians will use our constitutionally-mandated powers to remove you from office come 2029. I’ve written and published enough about electoral politics in our country to predict this (see here, here, here, here).
We elected you to represent us well, make good laws (not break them) and provide oversight of the executive and judiciary. Instead, you have hijacked the legislative process and forsaken your own House Rules and Procedures. Nowhere does it say you have authority to hold alternate sessions in the joint chambers, regardless of implicit judicial approval. Your actions to date contravene the oath you took to “support, uphold, protect and defend the Constitution and Laws of the Republic of Liberia”.
I want the Liberian electorate to remember you when they vote in five years, so I have listed below your names, counties, districts and parties. I hope constituents bombard you with phone calls, text messages and emails expressing their anger and frustration. I hope they demand your salaries, allowances and other benefits be withheld for dereliction of duty.
I urge you to stop the shenanigans, put your House in order and get back to work!
Dignity must define us.
Sincerely,
Robtel Neajai Pailey
2024 Independence Day National Orator
List of Dishonorable Liberian Lawbreakers
Nathaniel Bahway, Grand Kru, District 1, Collaborating Political Parties
Isaac Bannie, Grand Bassa, District 1, Movement for Progressive Change
Samuel Brown, Nimba, District 1, Independent
Augustine Chiewolo, Lofa, District 5, Unity Party
Isaac Choloplay, River Gee, District 2, Coalition for Democratic Change
Mohammed Dosii, Grand Cape Mount, District 2, Independent
Foday Fahnbulleh, Bong, District 7, Independent
Thomas Fallah, Lofa, District 1, Coalition for Democratic Change
Alfred Flomo, Grand Bassa, District 4, Unity Party
Nyahn Flomo, Nimba, District 2, Collaborating Political Parties
Clarence Gahr, Margibi, District 5, Coalition for Democratic Change
Nehker Gaye, Nimba, District 3, Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction
Dorwohn Gleekia, Nimba, District 6, Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction
Alex Grant, Rivercess, District 1, Independent
Sam Jallah, Bomi, District 3, Independent
Manah B Johnson, Bomi, District 2, Unity Party
Marie Johnson, Grand Gedeh, District 2, Liberia Restoration Party
Ivar Jones, Margibi, District 2, Coalition for Democratic Change
P Mike Jurry, Maryland, District 1, Coalition for Democratic Change
Sekou Kanneh, Montserrado, District 2, Unity Party
Samuel Kogar, Nimba, District 5, People’s Unification Party
Prince Koinah, Bong, District 1, Independent
James Kolleh, Bong, District 2, People’s Unification Party
Gizzie Kollince, Lofa, District 4, Unity Party
Richard Koon, Montserrado, District 11, Unity Party
Momo Siafa Kpoto, Lofa, District 3, Coalition for Democratic Change
Ernest Manseah, Nimba, District 4, Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction
Saye Mianah, Nimba, District 8, Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction
Alexander Poure, River Gee, District 1, Coalition for Democratic Change
Austin Taylor, Maryland, District 3, Independent
Steve Tequah, Rivercess, District 2, Independent
Michael Thomas, Montserrado, District 4, Independent
Prince Toles, Montserrado, District 8, Unity Party
Jahkpakpa Obediah Varney, Bomi, District 1, Unity Party
Mustapha Waritay, Gbarpolu, District 3, Unity Party
Julie Wiah, Lofa, District 2, Coalition for Democratic Change
Samson Wiah, Sinoe, District 2, Coalition for Democratic Change
Anthony Williams, Maryland, District 2, Collaborating Political Parties
Johnson Williams, River Gee, District 3, Coalition for Democratic Change
Robert Flomo Womba, Bong, District 4, Unity Party
Emmanuel Yarh, Margibi, District 4, Coalition for Democratic Change
