In Liberia, the phrase “cutting the cloth to fit the tailor” captures the alchemy of political survival: bending rules, institutions, and even truth to suit the ambitions of the powerful. Today, the House of Representatives, the crucible of Liberia’s post-war democratic experiment, is being reshaped by such tailoring. The campaign to oust Speaker J. Fonati Koffa is no mere parliamentary squabble-it is a calculated assault on legislative autonomy, orchestrated by a coalition of elites bound by fear, greed, and the specter of the 2029 presidential race. This crisis, cloaked in the guise of procedural disputes, lays bare the fragility of Liberia’s constitutional order and the enduring grip of patronage politics.
Drawing on interviews with parliamentary insiders, archival records, and decades of studying Liberia’s political undercurrents, this investigation unmasks the factions, motives, and systemic frailties driving the anti-Koffa plot. It is a story of betrayal, not just of one man, but of the democratic ideals Liberia has struggled to uphold since the end of its civil wars.
The Speaker as Scapegoat: A Political Crucifixion
J. Fonati Koffa, a Grand Kru lawyer-turned-legislator, assumed the Speakership with a mandate to strengthen the House’s institutional spine. His tenure, however, has collided with a stark reality: in Liberia, independence is a luxury few can afford. Koffa’s push for budgetary transparency and legislative assertiveness has made him a marked man, targeted by a coalition of factions wielding allegations, procedural gambits, and raw political muscle.
The Supreme Court’s April 23, 2025, ruling affirming Koffa’s legitimacy as Speaker was a rare victory for constitutionalism. Yet, its impact has been blunted by defiance from anti-Koffa lawmakers and a conspicuously muted Executive. “This isn’t about Koffa’s leadership,” a veteran House clerk confided. “It’s about who controls the gavel-and the purse strings it commands.” The plot against Koffa is less about governance than about power: who wields it, who profits from it, and who fears its scrutiny.
- Breakaway Greedy CDC Lawmakers Led by Fallah
The breakaway faction of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), led by Deputy Speaker Thomas P. Fallah, initially masked its intentions under a false narrative: that former President George Weah wanted Speaker J. Fonati Koffa removed due to his growing independence and perceived detachment from the party’s grassroots base. In reality, Fallah and his allies—Vice President Jeremiah Koung, Senator Prince Moye, and former Representative Edward Karfiah—were driven by more personal motives. Their main concern was shielding themselves from potential audits that could expose questionable financial dealings during their time on the House’s powerful Ways, Means, and Finance Committee. Securing influence over legislative votes and positioning themselves for future power plays became their true agenda.The façade began to unravel when former President Weah publicly refuted claims that he supported Koffa’s removal. The rebuttal not only embarrassed the plotters but exposed their internal rebellion, prompting a deeper rift within the CDC. What followed was swift: their eventual expulsion from the party and a more open alliance with the Unity Party-led majority bloc. Insiders suggest Fallah’s alignment with the ruling bloc stemmed from a backdoor promise involving the Speakership and a potential 2029 running mate slot alongside Koung—should President Boakai, now 80, choose not to seek re-election due to health concerns. - The Boakai-Koung Machine: Clearing the 2029 Path
President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung see Koffa as a triple threat: a rival with national appeal, a gatekeeper of legislative funds, and a bulwark against executive overreach. Their campaign against him is both strategic and personal, rooted in electoral rivalries. “Koffa’s independence is a virus to the Unity Party,” a Boakai confidant admitted. “They want him out before he becomes a 2029 kingmaker.” The Executive’s silence on the Supreme Court ruling speaks volumes: compliance is optional when power is at stake. - The Audit-Averse Syndicate
Beneath the surface lies a cabal of lawmakers and bureaucrats terrified of Koffa’s transparency agenda. The House, long a conduit for opaque deals- inflated contracts, unvetted budgets, and “special projects”-faces unprecedented scrutiny under Koffa’s leadership. Figures embedded in committees like Ways, Means, and Finance are rallying junior legislators with promises of cash, travel perks, and protection from audits. “Transparency is a death sentence for some,” a former auditor of the General Auditing Commission revealed. “They’ll topple Koffa to keep the books closed.” - The Belly-Driven Foot Soldiers
Liberia’s legislature has no shortage of hustlers-lawmakers who view their seats as tickets to personal enrichment. These first-term representatives, often elected on charisma rather than principle, are the anti-Koffa campaign’s shock troops. Lured by promises of committee posts, overseas trips, or cash-stuffed envelopes (locally dubbed “Brown envelopes”), they sign petitions and stage walkouts with little regard for constituents. “They’re cheap,” a veteran legislator scoffed. “A few hundred dollars and a weekend in Freetown, and they’re yours.”
Smearing the Speaker: The Politics of Rumor
To legitimize their crusade, Koffa’s foes have deployed a time-honored Liberian tactic: throwing dirt. Allegations of financial mismanagement surfaced in January 2025, accusing Koffa of misallocating House funds. Yet, an exhaustive review of public records and interviews with House accountants found no evidence to support these claims. The accusations, vague and unsubstantiated, are designed to wound rather than convict. In Liberia’s palava culture, where rumors spread faster than facts, a tarnished reputation is often enough to justify political execution.
The Judiciary: A Beacon Under Siege
The Supreme Court’s April 23 ruling was a bold assertion of judicial independence, a rarity in a country where courts often bend to political winds. Yet, the Executive’s reluctance to enforce the verdict-coupled with anti-Koffa lawmakers’ brazen defiance-exposes the judiciary’s fragility. “When the Court speaks and no one listens, the Constitution becomes a suggestion,” warned a constitutional law professor at Cuttington University.
If the Executive can sidestep judicial authority with impunity, the precedent could cripple other institutions, from the National Elections Commission to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission. The stakes are existential: a democracy without enforceable laws is a democracy in name only.
The 2029 Horizon: A Power Grab in Disguise
The Koffa crisis is inseparable from the 2029 presidential election. At 80, President Boakai is unlikely to seek another term, positioning Vice President Koung as the Unity Party’s standard-bearer. Koffa, with his legislative clout and growing national profile, is a potential disruptor-a figure capable of mobilizing disaffected voters and lawmakers into a formidable bloc. Neutralizing him now secures Koung’s path while ensuring access to legislative budgets critical for campaign financing.
“The 2029 chessboard is already set,” a European diplomat in Monrovia observed. “Koffa’s ousting is about clearing obstacles and consolidating control.” The Executive’s maneuvers suggest a broader ambition: to transform the legislature into a pliant tool, not a partner, in governance.
Systemic Rot: The Legacy of Patronage
The crisis exposes Liberia’s democratic Achilles’ heel: a political system built on patronage rather than principle. The majority bloc legislature lack the capacity to resist executive encroachment. Budgets, often padded with “operational funds,” fuel a cycle of loyalty to elites, not constituents. Foreign aid, while vital, inadvertently sustains this system, as donors prioritize stability over reform.
Liberia’s Legislative crisis is a mirror reflecting its democratic contradictions: a constitution revered in theory but ignored in practice, institutions designed for accountability but captured by elites, and a citizenry yearning for progress but sidelined by power games. The campaign against Speaker Koffa, driven by ambition, fear, and opportunism, is a warning: without robust institutions, democracy is a house built on sand.