Monrovia– FrontPageAfrica Managing Editor Rodney D. Sieh has launched a blistering critique of Liberia’s Legislature, describing it as “a tragedy” and accusing lawmakers of presiding over a system devoid of accountability, correct vetting, and respect for democratic oversight, significantly the media.
By Jaheim T. [email protected]
Sieh’s feedback add to rising public debate over legislative oversight, media freedom, and the broader query of accountability in Liberia’s democracy — points that proceed to form nationwide discourse amid rising public frustration.
“The legislature is a tragedy. It’s the worst group of individuals ever assembled in our historical past,” Sieh mentioned, pointing to what he described as a disturbing sample of poor legislative conduct and reckless decision-making. “You take a look at the payments that they’ve been passing these days, no accountability.”
In his latest look on OKAY FM Morning Rush, Sieh argued that the issue shouldn’t be new, however moderately a recurring failure that successive governments have refused to confront.
Recalling previous experiences through the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, he famous that critical considerations raised about public officers have been routinely ignored by lawmakers.
“I keep in mind through the Madam Sirleaf authorities, we put some data out on some appointees, and so they nonetheless handed (confirmed) these individuals,” he mentioned.
“Authorities after authorities repeats the identical mistake. There’s no vetting. There’s no accountability.”
Based on Sieh, this lack of due diligence has eroded public belief and weakened the Legislature’s credibility as a co-equal department of presidency. He warned that lawmakers seem extra occupied with political comfort than in safeguarding the nationwide curiosity.
His criticism additionally took goal on the present Speaker of the Home, Richard Nagbe Koon whom he accused of bewilderment each the facility and duty of the workplace.
In late November 2025, Koon sparked nationwide outrage after publicly threatening to jail journalists who reported on inside legislative proceedings.
The FrontPageAfrica Managing Editor condemned what he described as a latest assault on the media by the Speaker for demanding accountability.
“In reality, the speaker attacked the media lately for holding him accountable,” Sieh mentioned. “However after the very fact, after the harm already carried out, it tells you they don’t even perceive how they acquired within the place.”
Sieh emphasised that the freedoms loved right now, together with the existence of a functioning Legislature, have been hard-won by way of the efforts of previous generations who relentlessly challenged these in energy.
“If our forefathers, if our ancestors, if our mentors of the previous weren’t pushing the federal government foot to the fireplace, there wouldn’t be a legislature. The Speaker wouldn’t be in that place,” he mentioned. “Individuals fought so that you can get that job.”
He warned that attacking the media, an establishment central to democratic accountability, displays a deeper disaster of management and competence.
“They held authorities accountable. They put authorities ft to the fireplace so that you can be the place you might be right now,” Sieh mentioned. “And also you get there and also you assault the media. What does it say about you? It says you’re incompetent. You don’t know the place you maintain.”
Sieh additional lamented what he described as Liberia’s entrenched tradition of political sycophancy, the place officers rally unquestioningly round these in energy, usually to the detriment of the nation.
“This factor about sycophancy, they faux that it’s a part of our tradition,” he mentioned. “That each authorities come, they rally across the president and destroy the nation.”
Drawing a pointy distinction, Sieh referenced revolutionary Burkinabé chief Thomas Sankara for example of principled management targeted on service moderately than self-glorification.
“You go to Burkina Faso, the man refuses, like Sankara, he refused to place his image on the wall,” he mentioned. “As a result of it’s not about glorifying individuals. It’s about doing the job of the individuals. What’s fallacious with that? Simply do the precise factor.”
He argued that real management requires humility, accountability, and respect for dissent, values he believes are more and more absent in Liberia’s governance area.
“Individuals might be glad,” Sieh mentioned. “However you retain discovering methods to struggle.”
Sieh expressed concern over what he sees as a governing tradition pushed by fixed confrontation moderately than service supply.
“Each different day, this authorities, not the president, however the officers, they’re preventing individuals,” he mentioned. “They’re preventing the media. They’re preventing the earlier governments. They’re preventing all people.”
