In a democracy, the legislature serves as the bedrock of checks and balances, ensuring that the Executive does not wield unchecked power. It is the voice of the people, a guardian of the Constitution, and a critical pillar in preventing authoritarian overreach. However, when legislators choose to abandon their constitutional duty and submit to executive dominance, democracy itself stands at the precipice of ruin. Liberia now finds itself at such a dangerous juncture.
Speaker Richard Koon’s brazen declaration that he is a “Regime Speaker” exposes the naked ambition of the ruling establishment to seize absolute control of the House of Representatives. His assertion that “no Speaker from the opposition will promote our agenda” is not just a reckless statement; it is an outright admission of a calculated scheme to erase legislative independence. Koon’s words affirm suspicions that the forceful attempt to unseat Speaker J. Fonati Koffa was not a spontaneous act, but rather a premeditated political coup with ulterior motives orchestrated at the highest levels.
Since last October, Liberia’s legislature has been embroiled in an unconstitutional power struggle, with the majority bloc abandoning legislative decorum to install a speaker handpicked by the Executive. The fact that taxpayer funds may have been used to bankroll this political heist is a troubling indication of the Executive’s overreach and its willingness to subvert democratic norms to achieve unchecked authority. These are not the actions of a government committed to good governance and the rule of law; they are the maneuvers of a regime intent on consolidating power at any cost.
What Koon and his bloc fail to grasp—or choose to ignore—is that Liberia’s Constitution does not recognize a ‘Regime Speaker.’ The legislature is not an extension of the ruling party’s political machinery, nor is it a subsidiary of the presidency. It exists as an independent branch of government, tasked with scrutinizing Executive actions, passing laws that reflect the interests of the people, and ensuring that national resources are allocated with fairness and transparency. When legislators surrender this sacred duty in favor of partisanship, the very foundation of democracy crumbles.
Speaker Koffa, despite his political affiliation, has demonstrated a willingness to collaborate with the Executive without compromising his legislative independence. His removal was not driven by concerns over governance or performance—it was a direct assault on the principle of separation of powers. The fact that Koon openly admitted that the ruling party cannot afford to have an opposition Speaker only confirms that the intention was never about legislative efficiency but about monopolizing control.
The silence from the Executive on this matter speaks volumes. President Joseph Boakai, who vowed to uphold democratic principles, cannot feign ignorance or neutrality. His administration must disassociate itself from these undemocratic maneuvers or risk being complicit in the erosion of constitutional governance. The Judiciary, as the final arbiter of legal disputes, has already ruled that Koon’s installation was ultra vires—beyond legal authority. The Supreme Court’s absence from the President’s State of the Nation Address should have served as a wake-up call to the Executive that its overreach has consequences. Yet, instead of retreating, the regime’s legislative enforcers remain emboldened, spewing reckless rhetoric and further deepening the divide.
The precedent set by Koon’s actions is perilous. If the ruling party succeeds in transforming the legislature into a mere appendage of the Executive, the country will have effectively abolished any meaningful opposition in governance. Policies will be rubber-stamped without debate. National resources will be allocated at the whims of a few, unchecked. Citizens will be left voiceless, as those elected to represent them become puppets of a singular political agenda.
Liberians must recognize the grave danger of a legislature that abandons its independence. The nation has witnessed the perils of unchecked executive power before, and history must not be allowed to repeat itself. The reckless attempts to undermine the sanctity of the legislature must be met with fierce resistance—from civil society, the judiciary, and every citizen who believes in democracy. The survival of the republic depends on it. This is The Liberian Investigator in pursuit of truth and integrity.
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