– Halts Business With House of Representatives
Signals Unwavering Respect for the Rule of Law
By Jerromie S. Walters
The leadership of the Senate has resolved that it will refrain from submitting any legislative instruments to the House of Representatives until the current court proceedings are resolved. This decision was made during a leadership meeting held prior to the commencement of the Senate session.
The announcement comes in response to public speculation suggesting that the Senate had resumed its legislative business, particularly concerning submissions from the majority party. In an effort to clarify the situation, senators emphasized that while legislative instruments were indeed submitted to the Chief Clerk’s office, they were not formally presented to the House. The Acting Clerk communicated with the majority regarding these submissions, but no official legislative action has taken place.
Among the most recent legislative instruments submitted are the Seaport Decentralization Act and updated provisions to the Maritime Law, both of which are critical to enhancing the country’s maritime operations and infrastructure. However, the Senate leadership has decided to pause any further legislative activity until the court issues are resolved, underscoring their commitment to upholding legal processes and ensuring that the legislative agenda is not compromised.
Supreme Court Intervention:
On November 22, 2024, the Honorable Supreme Court of the Republic of Liberia ordered the House of Representatives to revert to the status quo ante. This legal directive aimed to restore the House to its previous state, prior to the controversial actions taken by the self-styled “Majority Bloc.”
The detective came last week as part of a hearing scheduled for November 26, 2024, to address the constitutionality of certain actions taken by the self-styled “Majority Bloc” of the House of Representatives. The case will be presided over by Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh and Associate Justices JameSetta L. Wolokolie, Yussif D. Kaba, Yamie Quiqui Geisay, and CeainehD. Clinton-Jonson.
“YOU ARE FURTHER COMMANDED to instruct the Minister of Justice and their returns referenced Members of the House of Representatives to file their OFFICIAL RETURNS to this Writ in the Office of the Clerk of this Honorable Court on or before the said 26 day of November A. L, 2024; and have the Members of the House of Representatives RETURN TO STATUS QUO ANTE and STAY ALL FURTHER PROCEEDINGS OR ACTIONS PENDING THE DETERMINATION OF THE MATTER,” the official writ issued Friday stated.
Moreover, Brigadier General Amos B. Kesseh Dickson, Sr., Marshal of the Supreme Court, was directed to notify the Minister of Justice/Attorney General to appear before the full bench of the court. The Minister was required to file returns regarding the petition submitted by the plaintiffs, who are challenging the actions of some members of the legislative body.
The court also instructed that all proceedings or actions related to the matter be stayed pending the court’s determination. In addition to notifying the Minister of Justice and the affected legislators, the Marshal is required to ensure that a copy of the writ was served to them. The writ also mandated that the members of the House of Representatives involved in the case file their official returns by the specified date.
The crisis:
On October 17, 2024, a faction of 47 members from the House of Representatives introduced a resolution to remove Speaker J. Fonati Koffa from his position. Since then, the situation has gotten complex.
On Thursday, November 21, 2024, Representative Richard Nagbe Koon of Montserrado County District #11 was elected and inducted as the “new Speaker” of the 55th Legislature of the Republic of Liberia. This decision was made by approximately 50 members of the Majority Bloc, who convened to endorse a resolution that removed Koffa from his position and declared the speakership vacant.
Koon’s election took place on a white ballot on Thursday, November 21, 2024, just minutes after the resolution was passed. In a counter-response to his election and subsequent induction, several lawmakers from Koffa’s faction, who initially supported the resolution for his removal but later retracted their signatures, condemned the Majority Bloc’s actions as illegal. During a press conference today, these lawmakers threatened legal action against the Majority Bloc, revealing that they have already consulted with their lawyers regarding the matter.
