Playing Your Cards to Your Chest! Seeing Beyond the Eye

Monrovia: With the control of both seats in the lower house of Liberia by the out-going Coalition for democratic change (Speaker & Deputy), the incoming President of Liberia, will have a load of activities on his plate to deal with.

This starts with his ability to fight corruption, enhance the rule of law, stabilize good governance, improve education, and battle the ability to audit the out-going CDC government without having hitches along the way, easy passing of the national budget as well as political will of the executive could be hindered in no small way.

As it may be perceived by the ruling party (CDC), what is clear to the political gladiators from the opposition (UP) incoming, is that there is going to be a check and balance mechanism at play with the opposition in control of the House of Representatives.

The fight was extremely healthy, and the results showed a close race that should provide some worries for the corps of leaders who have officially taken over the mantle of leadership at the 55th legislative assembly of the lower house, with a 31 to 36, a 5-votes win lead.

It simply means, the officers could be strong to pull several of those who voted against them to their side with proper leadership or lose them to districts developments in their districts, which are all olive branches that the executives could wield in attack on them to enable them change leadership of the house of representatives in the nearest future.

Taking into consideration, precedents that were set on two occasions during the regime of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, where Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe and Senator J. Alex Tyler, who were both speakers at different times during her 12 years, were booted out of office and made ordinary, whilst Snowe was able to rise above it all and became senator.

Alex Tyler just got his political salvation backed with his election to the Senate in 2023. What to expect from the present government is still unknown.

One thing is sure in this political dilemma which is that both Speaker Fonati Koffa and Thomas Fallah as Speaker and deputy are no newcomers to the body politics of the Liberian jugglenated genderism that will unfold over the next six years to maintain and stay in power.

It must be clear that Musa Hassan Bility, the newcomer on the block who saw the House of Representatives as a walk in the park, was burnt badly and will not stay quiet as he bids his time and heal his wounds to strike. Somewhere along the line, thus the smoke just needs to clear, allowing the trash to be removed.

A new construct and alliances will be built, strange bed companions with strange marriage of convenience, will certainly show.

Where the HOUSE OF CARDS, will become a playing movie in Liberian politicking and it shall not just be a movie by the time, but in actual sense, reality to create a competitive democracy, knowing well as these unfolding deepens, the 3rd arm of government (Judiciary) will become the moderator, the umpire, the darling wedding official, is not going to be left free.

At such juncture, judgment upon judgment, will be a testimony of how well the state will be governed till 2029.

The road to stability in the house of representative, starts with the magical ability of the ever smiling, yet foxy new Boy on the block, (Speaker J. Fonati Koffa).

PART 1...to be continued