–Gbarpolu Senator Says Liberia Must Break Cycle of Political Revenge and Intolerance
MONROVIA, LIBERIA — Gbarpolu County Senator Amara M. Konneh has cautioned against what he described as Liberia’s recurring culture of political retaliation and partisan victimization, warning that successive governments continue repeating the same mistakes whenever political power changes hands.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his official Facebook page, Senator Konneh reflected on Liberia’s political history and urged both ruling and opposition politicians to stop targeting public officials and ordinary citizens solely because of their political affiliations.
“There is nothing new in Liberia except the history you don’t know or the one you conveniently forget to benefit your actions,” Konneh wrote.
The former Finance and Development Planning Minister argued that political parties in Liberia often seek power primarily for self-interest rather than national transformation.
“Political parties seek power only for their own benefit. The goal of power is power itself,” he stated. “And when power shifts, what makes us think it won’t follow the same pattern again?”
Konneh References Political Dismissals Under CDC and UP Governments
According to Senator Konneh, Liberia has repeatedly witnessed cycles of political dismissals whenever a new administration assumes power.
He recalled that after the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) came to power in 2018 under former President George Weah, several individuals associated with the Unity Party allegedly lost their jobs and livelihoods because of their political loyalty.
“We saw some current Unity Party leaders lose their jobs and livelihoods when power moved to the CDC because of their loyalty to the party,” Konneh stated.
The senator then pointed to more recent dismissals carried out under the current administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
According to him, several officials and civil servants linked to the CDC have reportedly been dismissed for participating in political rallies while wearing party regalia.
Those dismissals reportedly affected employees from the Executive Protection Service (EPS) and the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC).
The Boakai administration previously defended some of the actions by arguing that civil servants violated government conduct rules prohibiting partisan political activities while serving in public office.
Konneh disclosed that a communication submitted to the Liberian Senate requesting the reinstatement of dismissed MCC workers remains pending before the Senate Labor Committee.
“Our letter to the Senate requesting the reinstatement of the fired civil servants from MCC is stuck in the Labor Committee,” he wrote.
Concerns Over Double Standards
The Gbarpolu County senator further questioned what he described as possible double standards in the enforcement of government conduct policies.
According to him, some officials and civil servants currently serving under the Unity Party-led government have openly participated in pro-government political activities and worn party regalia without facing disciplinary action.
“Today, we notice some UP government officials and civil servants, including the Director-General of the CSA, wearing regalia in support of President Boakai,” Konneh stated.
“I wonder what will happen to their jobs and livelihoods when power changes again,” he added.
The comments appear connected to recent political activities surrounding the launch of the National Independent Movement for Boakai (NIMBO), a pro-Boakai political movement that has attracted participation from some government officials and supporters.
“Power Will Eventually End”
Beyond partisan politics, Senator Konneh used his statement to issue a broader reflection on governance, power, and national unity.
“History doesn’t always have clear endings, but one thing everyone knows is this: Power will eventually end,” he wrote.
“The real question is, what do you do with it while you have it?”
He called on Liberians to move beyond cycles of political hostility and begin seeing one another first as citizens rather than political opponents.
“When do we take a moment to reflect?” Konneh asked. “When do we put an end to targeting each other because of our political affiliations and see the Liberian in each of us?”
Debate Over Civil Service Neutrality Continues
Political dismissals and accusations of retaliation have remained recurring issues throughout Liberia’s post-war democratic period, particularly during transitions of political power.
Liberia’s civil service regulations generally restrict overt partisan political activities by certain categories of public employees, especially those in sensitive public and security institutions.
However, enforcement of those regulations has often generated controversy, with opposition parties frequently accusing ruling governments of selective enforcement and politically motivated dismissals.
Senator Konneh, a former World Bank economist and one of Liberia’s most prominent policy voices, has increasingly used social media platforms to comment on governance, economic reforms, reconciliation, and institutional accountability.
His latest statement has already generated significant public debate online, with some Liberians applauding his call for political tolerance and fairness, while others insist that civil servants must remain politically neutral regardless of which party controls state power.
As Liberia’s political atmosphere gradually intensifies ahead of future elections, Konneh’s remarks are expected to deepen ongoing national discussions surrounding governance, political fairness, civil service neutrality, and democratic maturity.
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