When Two Elephants Fight, the Grass Suffers

Dear dishonorable 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