By: Archie Boan
Proceedings at the House of Representatives came to an embarrassing halt on Thursday, October 16, 2025, when a sudden power outage plunged the entire legislative chamber into darkness, forcing lawmakers to conduct business under the glow of cell phone flashlights.
For nearly 30 minutes, Liberia’s lawmakers sat in the dark a scene many observers described as symbolic of the country’s broader infrastructure failures.
Despite attempts to proceed, frustration rippled through the chamber as lawmakers murmured over the poor state of facilities at the Capitol Building the very heart of national governance.
House Chair on Rules, Order, and Administration Rep. James Kolleh rushed to coordinate with maintenance staff after the blackout. He downplayed the incident, saying, “Even in chambers in the United States, current can go.”
But critics saw the statement as a weak excuse for a preventable embarrassment, arguing that the House should not be crippled by such basic infrastructure lapses.
“This is unacceptable,” Rep. Jacob Debee lamented while in session. “We approve budgets every year, yet we are sitting in darkness like ordinary citizens.”
The backup generator, which should have restored electricity immediately, took nearly half an hour to kick in raising further questions about maintenance and preparedness.
Although power was eventually restored, the blackout rekindled anger among lawmakers and staff who have repeatedly complained about poor working conditions, unreliable power, and lack of proper contingency systems.
Several members have since renewed calls for a complete overhaul of the Capitol’s power infrastructure, saying that a nation’s Legislature should not operate at the mercy of a failing generator.
