MONROVIA–What many called ‘the Judas in Senator Saah H. Joseph’ came out last week in a dramatic style when he spewed litany of accusations against the former ruling Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), his political upbringing institution, claiming that the party is like a cesspool of depravity and purveyor of corruption.
Senator Joseph minced no words in spilling the beans about the CDC and how its officials conducted the affairs of state, bullying investors for bribes.
The party and ordinary Liberians are still grappling with and reeling from his regurgitation about alleged unkempt treatment of former party chairman, poor relationship with former President Weah as well as disagreements with the party on many cardinal issues.
While others celebrate what they believe is his bravery and boldness, others likened his action to that Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus.
But besides those, the ballooning concern being raised is whether his departure from the Party, said to have creamed his political trajectory, is about the reported mishaps and miscarriages he spewed or a mere cover-up just to align with his uncle, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for what many term ‘kissi solidarity.
Senator Joseph, a Kissi by tribe just as President Boakai, joined the list of Lofans, not necessarily Kissis, that severed relationship with the CDC, the Party believed and credited for their political triumphs, in recent time.
The consecutive trend of their defections from the very party they considered “mighty and indomitable” is not without a smell, with suggestions in many quarters that the action could be much more about “kissi solidarity” than what some of them themed ‘policy differences and disagreements.’
Senator Joseph did not only resign from the CDC but dug out some hidden skeletons in the party’s closest, adding more fuel to an already seemingly unquenchable fire that is burning within the ex-ruling establishment, with the reported potential to destroy it forever.
He accused the party of indulging into litany of corrupt practices while in office, including soliciting bribes from foreign investors.
The former CDC official also alleged that the party attempted to eat his own cat, in terms of taking the life of former Chairman Mulbah Morlu through macabre conditions, including videoing, drugging and scraping him of clothes (butt naked).
Saah’s reticence Since inauguration
However, those who claimed to have followed the Montserrado County Senator since the inauguration of President Boakai recalled how he became reticent since then.
Senator Joseph was a vocal voice during the 2023 elections, chastising the Unity Party and its campaign message as mere showiness aimed at entreating voters. As chairman of the CDC Montserrado County Campaign, he did not let down opportunities to expose then candidate Joseph Boakai’s weaknesses and administrative frailties to lead the country.
“Mr. Boakai is my uncle as a Kissi myself, but I ask you (the Liberian people) not to vote for him, not to elect him because he does not mean well for the country,” he said at one campaign rally in the Brewerville community. “I know him, he is my uncle as a Kissi myself,” he said further, trying to rally support for the CDC reelection campaign.
His message perhaps did not have the strength to sway Liberians from putting their weight behind the UP candidate, as he eventually came on top in the runoff vote, having lost the first round to then incumbent President George Weah.
For whatever reasons, according to some Liberians, the Senator has just been himself, no more vocal as he is known.
“But the Senator has since gone into coma since the inception of the President Boakai government, not being heard publicly, let alone criticizing the government on any of its controversial policies,” remarked Shadrach Beh of Banjor, Lower Virginia, Brewerville.
Beh argued that the Senator’s silence since President Boakai’s induction into office signaled that a scheme was being hatched by him.
Asked whether his resignation from the CDC could be the reason he kept a distance and quiet, he nodded in the affirmative, saying “he had a plan he was working on behind the scenes.”
Beh also drew analogy between his departure from the CDC and those before him, the likes of Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, Mr. Moses Kollie, Mariamu Fofana and Mulbah Morlu, all of whom from hail from Lofa County the President also hails from.
He scolded the former CDC stalwart for his poor optics in leaving the CDC – the manner in which he spilled the beans without taking into consideration the Party took him from politically.
He has just shown the Judas in him because this is not politics, it is mere madness,” he said, while comparing the way Liberian politicians defect from one party to another and how it is done in other democracies.
Apart from Beh’s regurgitation, CDC insiders said their former strongman only tried to play smart by dragging the party into the mud as a political bit for his new political party, People’s Action Party (PAP).
“If he thinks he can deflate the CDC, then he must have been in utopia,” Solomon, a staunch CDCian told this paper recently, in reaction to Senator Joseph’s resignation and disparagement of the party.
Solomon, a bike rider who declined to call his last name, described his former partisan as an ingrate and “one of those who abused former President Weah’s openness and relationship with them.”
“He can’t be trusted,” Solomon added “and Liberians can’t elect such a man.” “What makes him think he can become President in Liberia,” wondered another Liberians, who said he is a pastor.
The Kissi Solidarity?
All of those who severed ties with the CDC cited working with President, a Kissi and a son of Lofa, for the its forward march.
Except for former Chairman Morlu, both Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, former Representative Moses Kollie and Marima Fofana hinged their decision to abandon the CDC to helping President Boakai to develop their county.
Though Rep. Fallah case is slightly different as he was expelled from the party for his alliance with a group of lawmakers reportedly supported by the Executive Branch to oust former Speaker Fonati Koffa, an Executive of the CDC.
However, his association with the anti-Koffa faction was interpreted as tacit alliance with President Boakai on the basis of “kissi solidarity.”
“All of them are using ‘forward march of Lofa’ as escapade to pursue their long-held intentions,” asserted Pauline Kamah, who referred to herself as diehard CDCian.
“No party is problem free, but they can’t malign the CDC to score political points,” she said. “This is absurd,” she underscored, while urging the hierarchies to “allow sleeping dogs lie.”
Kamah said the people of Liberia will decide between the CDC and PAP in 2029, and the results will be the ultimate judge.
The Senator is being strongly condemned for going below the political belt, criticising his former ally and political leader in the way he did, referring to him as Judas in another form.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.
