Lawmakers in Dog fight – Liberia news The New Dawn Liberia, premier resource for latest news

By Bridgett Milton

Capitol Hill, Liberia, April 26, 2024—Drama erupts on the floor of the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill after Representatives James Kolleh of Bong County District #2 and Montserrado County District # 9 Representative Saah Foko engage in a dog fight on Thursday, April 25, 2024, throwing jibes at each other.

The emotional outbursts constrained Deputy Speaker, the presiding, to throw both lawmakers out of session, which prevented them from participating in Thursday’s budget debate.

It all started when Representative James Kolleh raised a concern to Deputy Speaker Fallah, who was presiding in place of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, that they should amend the agenda for the day after reading the first communication, and instead resort to an executive session to discuss matters directly affecting lawmakers.

But the presiding over rules orders the chief clerk to continue reading by moving to the next communication, which stirs up Rep. Kolleh, who defiantly counters that he would not keep quiet because Deputy Speaker Fallah was presiding wrongly. 

Kolleh was resolute despite efforts by some of his colleagues to calm him, maintaining that he would not listen until the right thing was done, a defiance that pricks the nerves of Rep. Saah Foko, leading him to demand Kolleh to sit down and stop disturbing, because he was not the only lawmaker in session that could talk or display arrogance amid his colleagues.

Foko’s intervention sounded like pouring gasoline on fire, irritating Kolleh further. It sent both lawmakers into ranting insults at each other, displaying their vulgar skills, and nearly resorted to a fistfight.

But presiding, Deputy Speaker Fallah ceases the atmosphere and asks the combating lawmakers to vacate the session immediately and never return for the rest of the day.

However, a few minutes later, Rep. Kolleh resurfaced in the Chambers and sat in his seat, but Deputy Speaker Fallah noticed him. He insists that if the discourteous Bong County Rep. does not comply accordingly, he could face expulsion.

Since the start of the 55^th Legislature, the two lawmakers have carried bad blood for each other, always arguing and throwing insults, not willing to see eye to eye. Editing by Jonathan Browne