Lawmakers endure power outage during House Session; chair assures continuity

Published: October 16, 2025

CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — Proceedings at the House of Representatives were briefly interrupted on Thursday after a power outage plunged the legislative chamber into darkness for about 30 minutes.

Despite the disruption, lawmakers pressed on with their deliberations, using natural light and mobile phones to continue the session.

House Chair on Rules, Order and Administration James Kolleh swiftly responded to the incident, stepping out of session to coordinate with the maintenance team to restore power through the House’s backup generator.

“Even in chambers in the United States, current can go,” Kolleh said, stressing that temporary power failures are not uncommon and do not hinder legislative business.

Kolleh assured lawmakers and staff that the House’s power system, including its generator, remains functional and capable of handling such interruptions.

Electricity was restored roughly half an hour later, allowing the session to resume in full. The brief blackout, however, reignited discussions among some lawmakers about the need for more robust contingency measures, including stronger backup power capacity, to prevent similar disruptions during critical proceedings.