For the second time in over 70 years in succession in Liberia, a presidential transition from one democratically elected leader to another is expected to happen on January 22, 2024, with the inauguration of Joseph Nyumah Boakai as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Liberia.
And with it comes several rites of passage -- including a very literal passing of the baton. But there are several other protocols to be complied with. And while some appear more ceremonial than others, they all offer a sense of political stability in Liberia. Below are some of the major activities that make up the traditions of presidential transition.
Joint Presidential Transition Team (JPTT)
Arguably the most significant first step of the entire transition process is the constitution of a Joint Presidential Transition Team (JPTT), usually, the incumbent President and the President-elect Co-chair the JPTT. The objective of the JPTT is to facilitate and manage the presidential transition program to ensure a seamless transition of power to the incoming government. This also entails developing the guidelines for the preparation of the handover notes, addressing any questions the incoming administration might have, and coordinating the swearing-in event.
On November 22, 2023, four days after President Weah conceded defeat to former Vice President Joseph Boakai in the 2023 presidential election, outgoing President Weah issued Executive Order 123, establishing a Joint Presidential Transitional Team (JPTT) to facilitate the smooth transition of power from the current Coalition for Democratic Change government to the newly elected administration. President-elect Boakai, by the Executive Order, designated 20 others as additional members of the JPTT.
In a similar vein, Weah's predecessor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in December 2017, constituted a 40-member transition committee. The transition committee made up of 20 members from the present government and 20 from the incoming administration, was co-chaired by President Sirleaf and President-elect. Weah, then an opposition member, also set up another 20-member committee to develop a clear framework for liaison with the outgoing administration to itemize the most important or most urgent issues confronting the in-coming government.
Receipt Of Handover Notes
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After a series of deliberations by the JPTT members, handover documents are generated which the outgoing president presents to his or her successor. Before the inauguration, the outgoing President Weah will hand over his administration's transition document to Boakai at the Executive in Monrovia. The files will contain key documents comprising briefing notes on each priority area covering key sectors. A compendium capturing the priority programs and projects implemented by his administration as well as policy status updates will also be handed to the then-president-elect.
Dissolving The Cabinet
One other expectation of the outgoing president is that he would dissolve the cabinet as they exit office. The cabinet comprises the entirety of ministers and ministers of state, but what is lacking is who are they mandated to hand power to since we in Liberia don't have permanent secretaries of their respective ministries.
In the case of President Weah in 2018, he directed the Minister of Information, Education Minister, Minister of Internal Affairs, Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, and the Director of General Services Agency to hold on until further notice while further directed that all other Ministries and Public Corporations be supervised by the Director of Human Resource within those entities until further notice.
Tour of the Executive Mansion
The incoming president's tour of the Presidential Mansion is at the invitation of the incumbent. The purpose of such is to show him the various facilities, including the President's office, meeting rooms, the Cabinet Chambers, the Press Auditorium, and the residence, etc.
Farewell Address
One of the final activities the outgoing president will embark on is a farewell address to the nation
This is an avenue for the president to give his final thoughts on his journey and highlight issues of note. Most farewell presidential speeches are done in a special broadcast as in the case of Gyude Bryant and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The Inauguration
Ahead of the new president's inauguration, a series of events are organized to commemorate the occasion. In the case of President-elect Boakai, the events include a prayer service scheduled at the Benson Street Mosque on Friday, January 19th, a Youth Concert will be held on January 20th, and on Sunday, January 21, an intercessory service at the Effort Baptist at 10:00 am
The aforementioned events dovetail into the D-Day -- the inauguration. In many respects, the January 22nd swearing-in is the final step of the presidential transition process, often necessitating the declaration of a public holiday in advance.
Held on the Capitol Building grounds in Monrovia with all the pomp and ceremony it deserves, the event is typically graced by a who's who of Liberians and world leaders. The order of events will begin with the arrival of invited dignitaries, followed by the president-elect and vice president-elect, the outgoing vice president, and then the president. After the last two take their last salutes, separately, the outgoing aide-de-camp will hand over the old military colors to the outgoing president.
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The Chief Justice of Liberia (CJL) swears in the President. The outgoing president then hands over the new colors to the new president and instrument of office. Next, the inaugural presidential address is delivered, and soon after, they are driven to the Executive Mansion in the official presidential vehicle bearing the presidential seal, closing out the ceremony.
The new president hosts VIP guests, including visiting presidents and heads of state, heads of delegations, ambassadors, development partners, former ministers, and members of the National Legislature, among others. In the evening, a state banquet is held where a toast will be made to the new president.
New Portraits And Digital Face
An update of the official portraits of the president and vice president, particularly at Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), brings a sense of finality to the transition. With the retirement of all portraits bearing the image of the last president and his vice president, a new administration becomes that much more tangible for the governed. Further crystallizing the acceptance of a new administration, particularly for the masses, is the official takeover of social media accounts serving the new president, vice president, and their offices.
