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Home Editorial

Members of the House Must Resign before Contesting Senate Seats

by The Liberian Investigator
April 14, 2025
in Editorial
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Selective Justice Will Doom Liberia’s Fight Against Corruption

Liberia is bleeding money — not just from corruption or wasteful spending — but from a reckless political culture that turns our elections into an expensive gamble.

At the center of this madness is a troubling practice that must no longer be tolerated: sitting members of the House of Representatives abandoning their seats to contest senatorial elections — without resigning, without consequence, and without shame.

This is not leadership. It is political greed dressed in ambition — and the Liberian people are paying the price.

In a country where raising funds for elections has become a perennial crisis, this practice is nothing short of sabotage. Liberia is already struggling to meet its constitutional obligations during regular elections. Yet, we continue to allow lawmakers — elected and trusted by their constituents — to walk away midstream, chase a Senate seat, and if unsuccessful, return to their old positions as if nothing happened.

The damage is twofold.

If they win the Senate seat, they leave a vacuum in the House — triggering yet another costly by-election that the government must organize and fund. If they lose, they return to their seat in the House — unbothered, unpunished, and untouched, while the taxpayer foots the bill for their failed adventure.

Either way, Liberia loses.

This is the reckless political gambling that must stop.

We have seen it happen time and again. Even a sitting Deputy Speaker of the House — occupying one of the highest positions in the Legislature — once opted to contest senatorial elections while still clinging to his seat in the House as a fallback. What message does this send to voters? That their votes are disposable? That representation is a matter of convenience, not commitment?

This is not how serious democracies operate.

Public service is about sacrifice. Leadership is about responsibility. If a sitting lawmaker believes their work in the House is done and desires to contest a Senate seat, that is within their right — but it must come at a cost.

They must resign.

They must weigh their ambition against their duty to the people who elected them. They must demonstrate courage and conviction — not selfish calculation.

Liberia is too poor to continue sponsoring this kind of political adventurism. Elections are expensive undertakings — requiring millions of dollars that could otherwise be invested in schools, hospitals, roads, and job creation.

We cannot afford to turn our electoral process into a playground for unaccountable politicians who face no risk, no consequence, and no penalty for abandoning their post.

This is why The Liberian Investigator calls for an urgent legislative reform: any sitting member of the House of Representatives who wishes to contest a senatorial election or by-election must first resign from their seat — without exception.

Let this law be clear. Let it be firm. Let it be enforced.

Liberia cannot continue to hemorrhage resources because of political greed. The people deserve better. Our democracy deserves better.

It is time to end this reckless culture. Let lawmakers think twice before gambling with the trust of their people. Let them count the cost before abandoning their seats.

Enough is enough.

Let the National Legislature act. Let the Executive support it. Let the people demand it.

Liberia’s future cannot be held hostage by political games. The era of free rides must come to an end.

Tags: By-elections in LiberiaCost of elections in LiberiaHouse of Representatives LiberiaLegislative reform in LiberiaLiberia elections 2025Political accountability LiberiaSenate elections Liberia
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