Capitol Hill — On Monday, lawmakers and staff at the Liberian Legislature arrived to find the joint chambers in disarray, with over 500 chairs uprooted. A FrontPage Africa reporter on the scene confirmed that all chairs had been removed by unknown individuals, escalating the ongoing crisis within the House of Representatives.
According to the constitution, the joint chamber serves as the venue for both the House and Senate to conduct joint business, typically presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. This space is commonly used for key events, including the President's annual message--known as the State of the Nation Address--and budget review sessions by joint budget committees.
However, the joint chamber has become a focal point in the current leadership dispute, as a majority bloc of 43 lawmakers calling for Speaker Fonati Koffa's removal has been holding "sessions" there, presided over by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah. This bloc accuses Speaker Koffa of corruption and conflicts of interest, asserting he no longer has their confidence.
Speaker Koffa has condemned these gatherings as illegal and has called for due process. His attempt to halt the group's meetings was denied by Justice-in-Chambers Yamie Gbeisay, who ruled against stopping the sessions.
The alleged vandalism coincides with the House's ongoing modernization campaign, which includes renovations of the main chamber. Speaking to FrontPage Africa, Rep. Prescilla Abram Cooper, chair of the House Modernization Committee, suggested that the uprooted chairs may be part of this project. "I will have to check with [the workers], but I am sure they are the ones," she said. "The dome over the joint chamber was a hazard, and reconditioning it is part of the contractual agreement. Since nothing was damaged, I believe they're setting up scaffolding for work on it."
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Rep. Cooper downplayed concerns that the incident would exacerbate the leadership crisis, emphasizing that all lawmakers are aware of the renovation. She highlighted the deteriorating condition of the joint chamber's dome, which she said needs repair to ensure the safety of lawmakers and visitors. "I don't think this has anything to do with the crisis," she added. "Why would lawmakers want to destroy property we all need? I don't believe anyone would be that insensitive."
The Senate leadership has not officially commented on the incident, though a ranking Senator, who asked not to be named, stated that the Senate was unaware of any renovations planned for the joint chambers. "The Senate leadership is not aware of any appropriation for the renovation of the Joint Chambers. If funds were allocated, both the House and Senate would have coordinated on the project," the Senator said.
This incident coincides with the expected arrival of an ECOWAS parliamentary delegation led by Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament. The delegation is expected in Liberia to mediate between key stakeholders, including Speaker Koffa, Deputy Speaker Fallah, and Vice President Jeremiah Koung, in an effort to resolve the leadership crisis.
FPA Sfaff reporters Obediah Johnson and Webster Clayeh contributed to this story.
