Monrovia, Liberia – More than a week ago, a devastating fire ravaged the corridors of power in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, when the Parliament building caught fire, destroying offices and vital archives.
It is the second fire in a week and comes a day after several people were injured when police used tear gas to disperse protesters demanding the rule of law be upheld during the impeachment of the president of the House of Representatives, in a context of legislative impasse. .
Although the link between the protests and the fire, which caused no casualties, has not been proven, police questioned several people, including President Jonathan Fonati Koffa.
So, what happened in Parliament last week and how does it relate to the current political tensions in Liberia?
What happened in Parliament?
It was early in the morning of December 18 when flames and thick black smoke engulfed the upper parts of the Parliament building, causing extensive damage inside.
Several walls cracked due to the intense heat; the offices and common chamber of Parliament were destroyed. Firefighters used long hoses and water jets to contain the spread of the fire which was brought under control.
Visiting the site, President Joseph Boakai condemned “much wanton destruction” in the country and suggested he believed the fire was politically motivated to divide the country.
The incident occurred eight days after a fire alarm was reported in the legislative complex, leaving one wing of the complex cordoned off and causing no injuries. Firefighters did not reveal the damage caused, but advised people to stay away from the area until investigations – which were underway before Wednesday’s fire – were completed.
Additionally, a day before the December 18 fire, hundreds of people protested in the capital, calling for respect for the rule of law, amid a controversial decision by lawmakers to impeach President Koffa – which resulted in a legislative impasse.
This demonstration became chaotic when the police tried to disperse people. Police say the use of tear gas was necessary when protesters broke barricades leading to designated “no-protest zones.” They added that “only non-lethal force” was used.
Dozens of protesters were arrested after last Tuesday’s demonstrations, including Sekou Kalasco, an aide to former President George Weah.
Following last week’s fire, authorities have not confirmed the cause, but Police Chief Gragray Coleman did not rule out the possibility of arson.
Police also arrested four people for questioning, including President Koffa and sitting lawmaker Frank Saah Foko, who allegedly made threats against the Houses of Parliament.
Foko, in addressing the legislative impasse, had earlier said that “if the legislature cannot prioritize the interests of the Liberian people, it will burn down the session.”
Police Chief Coleman said last week: “Foko threatened to burn down the common rooms and just a day later they were set on fire. He must therefore clarify his statement.
What is the legislative impasse?
Although the cause of the fire has not been announced, there are fears in Liberia that it may be linked to protests and legislative gridlock in the House of Representatives – one of the two bodies that constitute parliament.
The House is headed by a Speaker, a position currently held by Koffa, a lawyer and member of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), the political party of former President Weah. However, opposing lawmakers attempted to remove Koffa from office, claiming that in his previous role as vice president, he spent too much money and manipulated the budget to divert millions of dollars to his office. He also faces conflict of interest charges over his law firm’s dealings with businesses and government agencies.
These allegations and impeachment attempts have caused months of tension in the country. In mid-October, a pro-Koffa lawmaker claimed that House lawmakers were being offered $15,000 by anti-Koffa lawmakers to sign a written resolution calling for his impeachment.
Opponents, who describe themselves as the “majority bloc” in Parliament, have denied allegations of financial inducement, saying their resolution to impeach the president was based on allegations of blatant corruption and financial mismanagement. These lawmakers “called on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to immediately launch an investigation into Koffa’s financial dealings,” they said.
They also boycotted parliamentary sessions, choosing instead to hold separate sessions, and elected Richard Koon of the ruling Unity party as their faction’s spokesperson. Both factions claim their sessions are valid. The government had previously submitted the budget to both sessions, but has now recognized the legitimacy of the anti-Koffa session.
Koffa became Speaker of the House in January this year after defeating Koon by five votes.
Koffa denied the allegations against him, condemned the anti-Koffa bloc, and said opposing lawmakers should return to session with their complaint against him, stating that if they did, he would “recuse himself from presiding until until the matter is resolved.”
Koffa also added that “the real issues that legislators personally raised with me were not included in the resolution – issues related to committee assignment and interactions, and the treatment of legislators by some committee chairs –…this are the questions that will resolve this crisis.”
Weah also accused the ruling party of “attempting to undermine democratic and constitutional institutions by using ill-gotten funds from the national coffers to influence the unjust impeachment of the president.” His party, the CDC, suspended 10 of its lawmakers who signed the resolution against Koffa.
Of the 73 members of the House, the CDC has 25 members, while the Unity Party has 11. There are 19 lawmakers who won as independents. The remaining 18 seats were won by nine other parties.
Under Liberian law, a two-thirds majority of the House must vote for a president to be impeached, and 37 lawmakers are needed to ensure a quorum. So far, only 45 members have signed the resolution against Koffa.
Thus, even though the anti-Koffa bloc did not obtain the required number of votes to impeach the president, its boycott of the sessions meant that the pro-Koffa faction was unable to reach a quorum.
This resulted in parliamentary gridlock, with key legislative functions halted and delays in the adoption of key instruments, including the country’s budget.
Experts say this impasse also has other far-reaching consequences. “The legislative impasse has increased Liberians’ distrust of their government,” said Aaron Weah, a researcher and director of the Ducor Institute, a Liberian think tank. “State actors – like perhaps during the fire – can be used when negotiations stop,” he added.
In November, Koffa went to the Supreme Court to request that the majority bloc’s actions be declared illegitimate and that he be forced back into service.
In its ruling, the court said members of the majority bloc could not be forced back into session because the House did not have rules requiring their presence. He added that actions in Parliament not in accordance with the law should be declared illegal, but did not specify which faction was illegal.
Because of this ambiguity, both factions claim the other’s actions are illegal.
The government of Liberia interpreted the court’s decision as being in favor of the majority bloc.
However, Koffa told the press that “there is a conscious effort to ignore and defy the Supreme Court’s decision,” adding that “absent legislators are receiving aid and comfort from the executive branch.” .
For Gerald Yeakula, program manager at the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), a nonprofit organization and the Liberian national chapter of Transparency International, “The situation at the Capitol represents an epic political battle in which the he rule of law has all but succumbed.
“This is highlighted by the fact that the Supreme Court recently failed to clearly identify which group of lawmakers was proceeding illegally,” he said. “The likely triumph of the ‘majority bloc’ reinforces a dangerous precedent whereby a speaker can be impeached by his colleagues for no reason, as the Constitution requires.”
Koffa has now contacted the Supreme Court to seek clarification on the interpretation of the ruling.
And then?
With Koffa refusing to resign from the presidency despite pressure, analysts say the saga is far from over and how it ends would not only set a precedent for how legislative policy issues can be settled, but could have other implications for democracy.
“How the legislative impasse is resolved is very important for the country and for our democracy in the future,” said analyst Weah (no relation to former President Weah). “The legislative impasse is a sign of the type of democracy Liberia will experience in the years to come. We have a very young population, so if we don’t impose rules and procedures on our legislatures, it will set the tone for how similar issues will be resolved.
Additionally, the US Embassy and the ECOWAS regional bloc called on security agencies to investigate the cause of the fire.
The Liberian government condemned the fire and President Boakai called on the Justice Ministry and security agencies to investigate, promising to deal with the culprits. Police have offered a $5,000 reward for information.
Additionally, the Liberia National Fire Service said an investigation was underway but indicated it suspected the fire was caused by flammable substances such as gasoline, chemicals or fat.
Furthermore, in a message published on December 20 on social networks, Richard Koon, the president-elect of the anti-Koffa faction, declared: “This attack on the Capitol cannot and will not go unpunished. It is a call to action for us to renew our commitment to the principles of democracy, peace and justice. Let us honor this painful moment by strengthening our resolve to build a Liberia where such tragedies are unthinkable.