By D. Kaihenneh Sengbeh
While wrapping up my investigative journalism lecture last evening, one of my students asked whether President Joseph N. Boakai has the authority to declare a non-legislated national holiday. He wanted to know which provision of the Constitution supports such authority.
I gave a general response: “Yes, the President, as Head of State, has the authority to declare temporary holidays for specific purposes.” But I quickly admitted that I didn’t know the exact legal provision at that moment. I encouraged him—and the rest of the class—to research and find the right information. That’s what we do in investigative journalism: we seek the facts and verify everything.
But it’s not just my students who are wondering. Many Liberians, observed on radio shows and social media, are equally curious, and sometimes downright confused, about whether the President has the power to declare a holiday without legislative approval.
So, to answer the question clearly—Yes, the President of Liberia does have the authority to declare holidays that are not passed by the Legislature, and the law supports it.
LET ’s BREAK IT DOWN
While Liberia’s recurring holidays like Independence Day, Fast and Prayer Day, and Unification Day are established through acts of the Legislature, it’s equally important to understand that the President, under both constitutional and statutory law, can declare non-legislated holidays or national observances through an Executive Proclamation.
WHAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS?
In my follow-up research, I found that Article 50 of the 1986 Constitution clearly vests the executive power of the Republic in the President. It states:
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“The Executive Power of the Republic shall be vested in the President who shall be the Head of State, Head of Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia. The President shall have the power to execute the laws, administer the Government, and appoint officials of the Government subject to the Constitution.”
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This provision gives the President sweeping authority to administer the Government, respond to national needs, and issue executive proclamations in the public interest—including setting aside days for national reflection, prayer, mourning, or thanksgiving. That includes what’s being observed today, July 30, 2025.
IT’s IN THE EXECUTIVE LAW TOO
Beyond the Constitution, the President’s authority to make such proclamations is also grounded in the Executive Law of Liberia: file:///Users/administrator/Downloads/Executive%20Law_LCR%20Title%2012.pdf .
Specifically, Title 12, Chapter 1—especially Sections 1.2 and 1.3—empowers the President to act as Chief Administrator of the Republic, which includes issuing executive orders and proclamations that guide public action on matters of national concern.
These proclamations don’t create permanent holidays, but they do serve symbolic, spiritual, or moral purposes—and they’re entirely within the President’s discretion as part of national leadership. In simple terms: our Presidents, as Chief Administrators, have the power to make national calls within their legal bounds.
HISTORY SHOWS IT ’s NOTHING NEW
So, no—this is not some new invention. It’s not “Boakaism.” Other Presidents have done the same long before now:
* During the Ebola outbreak in 2014, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared three days of national prayer and fasting, from Wednesday, August 6 through Friday, August 8. It was from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and did not require legislative approval.
* President George Weah, during the COVID-19 crisis, made similar proclamations for National Days of Prayer and Fasting, including one on Friday, April 10, 2020, coinciding with the statutory Fast and Prayer Day.
* Other leaders, including Charles Ghankay Taylor, have also issued presidential calls to observe days of mourning, peace, and thanksgiving, especially in the wake of tragedies or during tense elections.
All these were done without legislative passage.
WHAT ’s THE DIFFERENCE THEN?
Let’s make the distinction clear:
* Legislated Holidays: These are recurring, annual holidays passed by the Legislature, such as Independence Day, Armed Forces Day, etc.
* Non-Legislated Holidays or Observances: These are temporary, one-time declarations made by the President—usually in response to specific events or situations.
So no, the President cannot create a permanent holiday by proclamation alone. But yes, the President can absolutely declare a special day of observance, as long as it’s not a standing national holiday. That’s been the practice.
LEADERSHIP, NOT POLITICS
When a President declares a National Day of Prayer, or anything similar, I view it not as a constitutional overreach, but as an act of moral and national leadership.
Whether it’s during a health crisis, political transition, or time of collective reflection, these proclamations are legitimate tools of executive discretion. And I believe that’s why Presidents past and present—Sirleaf, Weah, Boakai—have used them.
Now, whether such calls are necessary, or whether they impact the economy, affect revenue, or influence national development, is an entirely different conversation. That’s another bag of arguments. But from a legal and administrative standpoint, the proclamations themselves are valid.
FINAL WORD
So, to those still asking: Yes, President Boakai—and any Liberian President, for that matter—has the legal authority to declare a non-legislated holiday. As long as the declaration is temporary and doesn’t create a permanent national holiday, it is well within the President’s power—backed by the Constitution, the Executive Law, and longstanding precedent.
Again, whether these proclamations actually serve their intended purpose or are simply symbolic gestures, I honestly can’t say. That’s for each citizen to judge. But from the standpoint of law and precedent, the President is not overstepping.
@highlight #theweepingpen
#nationalissues #Liberia
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