MONROVIA — Former Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Tamba Koijee, has issued a strong call for recently dismissed civil servants to seek asylum outside of Liberia, claiming that the country’s justice system cannot be trusted. Koijee pointed fingers at President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, accusing him of orchestrating the “illegal” termination of the employees and others in various government agencies.
In a lengthy statement published on his official Facebook page on Friday, August 16, 2024, Koijee, who serves as Secretary General of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), criticized the recent dismissal of nine employees from the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC). The employees’ termination letters, signed by Monrovia City Mayor John Siafa, surfaced on social media, with Siafa attributing his decision to alleged insults made against President Boakai and other top officials by the dismissed individuals on their personal social media accounts.
Koijee condemned the actions of Mayor Siafa, calling them a blatant display of incompetence. He argued that the Mayor disregarded the Decent Work Act of 2015, which supersedes the MCC’s Human Resource Policy, and instead relied on outdated provisions of the Labor Law. He specifically cited Section 1508, subsection 6c, as the alleged basis for what he described as an unjustified move.
“The recommendation and subsequent pronouncement by the Director General of the Civil Service Agency for the immediate dismissal of employees of the Monrovia City Government is a clear violation of the Charter supporting the autonomy of the City Government to manage its personnel outside of the Central Government’s influence,” Koijee said.
He further argued that the Mayor’s actions politicize the Monrovia City Government on partisan grounds, undermining the interests of city residents and potentially driving away international donors and development partners.
“Fellow dismissed Liberians, I can safely state that you should not even attempt to test Liberia’s court system. Your only alternative is to seek asylum outside the country—because these dismissals were commissioned by Mr. Boakai himself, who sits at the highest office in our state,” Koijee emphasized.
Koijee also noted that with the repeal of sections of the penal code that previously criminalized libel against the president, sedition, and criminal malevolence, the dismissed employees cannot legally be penalized for social media posts criticizing the government.
The CDC official accused President Boakai of ordering the dismissals through the Civil Service Agency as part of a broader political strategy, starting with the nine MCC employees. He labeled the move as counterproductive to addressing Liberia’s unemployment crisis and undermining the very values the President claims to champion.
“The Mayor of Monrovia has shown his gross incompetence and inability to govern, which has increased the risk and vulnerability faced by those dismissed, simply because they do not align with the political sentiments of the Unity Party,” Koijee remarked.
He expressed dismay at the perceived hypocrisy of those who, under President Weah’s administration, criticized government actions as propaganda but now engage in what he described as “political witch-hunts” under President Boakai.
Highlighting his concerns about Liberia’s justice system, Koijee referenced a recent incident in which Assistant Minister for Urban Affairs Mike Jabateh allegedly threatened to kill Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah. Despite these threats, Jabateh remains in office, according to Koijee, demonstrating what he sees as the selective application of justice under the Boakai administration.
Koijee concluded by warning that dismissing employees over social media posts sets a dangerous precedent. He cited Article 18 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which prohibits dismissals based on political affiliation, ethnicity, or creed.
The former mayor recalled his own tenure, stating that he retained several members of the Unity Party during his time at the MCC, demonstrating his commitment to a non-partisan approach. He urged civil society organizations and the international community to take note of what he described as escalating political persecution and constitutional violations under the current administration.
“These dismissals may seem like internal political matters, but they pose a significant risk to the long-standing relationships Liberia has with diplomatic missions and the business community,” Koijee said. He cautioned that actions targeting innocent citizens could lead to social unrest, referencing recent coups in other West African countries driven by similar grievances.
“The time to resist Mr. Boakai is now or never,” Koijee declared, concluding his message with a call for decisive action against what he views as creeping authoritarianism in Liberia.
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