President Joseph Boakai faces strong criticism from a key supporter over his handling of the affairs of the state here.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, Liberia, January 8, 2025 – Former Associate Justice and staunch supporter of President Boakai, Cllr. Kabinah M. Ja’neh says the ruling Unity Party has provided enough reasons for Liberians to rethink their decision, noting that the governing signs and symptoms don’t look good and that Liberia is on the right path.
Speaking on a radio talk show recently, Cllr. Ja’neh said that the fabric of the society is experiencing a drastic decline here, especially, respect for the rule of law and justice.
“When I look at the way the country is being run, I have every reason to get up when I believe that I, too, was part of the making of this. Now, I think the Liberian people have good reason to rethink their decision”, Ja’neh expresses.
Responding to questions about his support for President Boakai, the former Justice bluntly says he is completely disappointed in the country’s administration, mostly with how the President and his cabinet are steering the affairs of the state.
On whether he would support President Boakai in 2029, Cllr. Ja’neh says that he only supports people who ask for his support, and if he would support President Boakai for a second term or give him his blessings, the President would dare not ask for his support.
“If I give my support and blessings to President Boakai, we should wait for some years, but now, President Boakai will not want my support. It’s simple. I only give support to those who ask. If he asked me, President Boakai would not ask for my support.”
Commenting on his influence on the Muslim community in Liberia for political direction, he says the Muslim community will make such a decision. Still, if they ask for his advice, he will give them can’t say it, but if they ask now, he needs not to speak but act.
“The pattern that we have seen from January 2024 to now doesn’t show us that we are on the right path. It shows that we are not on the right path as far as I’m following and the law is concerned in Liberia. And you know that the only thing that can protect us is the law. I don’t have to like you, and you don’t have to like me, but with the law, we are all okay. If it’s something that we have no regard for, that is a ground for all of us to be worried”, Ja’nah stresses.
According to him, the signs and symptoms that he is seeing don’t look good for the country, and it clearly shows that Liberia is on the wrong path.
He wonders if all those who are contributing to the state of affairs of the country today are passing the national budget illegally, which is questionable, where their consciousness is.
Providing justifications for protest across the country and police subsequent action, he says the right for people to assemble and protest is not a privilege from any President nor President Joseph N. Boakai; rather, it is a constitutional right.
Firstly, the rights to assemble and protest are prescribed under our constitution. These are not things that the President gives. Now, if the Government is a group of people that were running all over the place, talking about the rule of law and harming people who come on the street to protest, that says it all. But, again, you have a director of police, who himself is a kidnapper. So, what do you expect?” He continues.
According to him, the Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman allegedly went to the Monrovia Central Prison under the cover of darkness and removed somebody who was placed behind bars by the court on the directive of the Executive.
“And so, what else should these people do to show that they don’t have respect for the rule of law? I am just disappointed; I mean hugely disappointed. My fear is that Liberia now has a government that has no regard for the rule of law, which is scaring”, he cautions. Editing by Jonathan Browne
