Monrovia – A member of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change says the action by several government officials to actively participate in political activities at the just concluded convention of the ruling Unity Party, ignoring provisions of the Code of Conduct signed by the President is a recipe for chaos come 2017.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
Mulbah Morlu, Vice Chairman for Operations in the opposition congress for democratic change in a telephone interview with FrontPageAfrica said the action by some officials to act above the law of Liberia is a recipe for chaos.
He believes that the decision by the ruling Unity party to do what he termed as undermining the rule of law could spread to other political institutions.
He blamed the violation on what he called lack of political will on the part of President Sirleaf to ensure that the constitution of Liberia is adhered to; saying the very officials of government are the lawbreakers.
Morlu said: “This is bad precedent, and I believe that the rule of law is being butchered. This government is on the wrong pattern and the laws of Liberia are under threat from this government”.
He continued “What if the CDC was to choose which law to obey and disobey than we are heading for trouble. Why if the CDC says tomorrow we are going to respect certain guidelines from the National Elections Commission and disobey the others. This is our country, we are all equal under the law.”
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the political leader of the ruling party who signed the Code of Conduct into law attended the Unity Party convention and presided over its violation by officials, she appointed to several positions in government.
Besides Information Minister Eugene Nagbe and Labor Minister Neto Lighe, many officials of government appointed by the President took part in the convention including Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Julia D. Cassel and several others.
Party V of the code of conduct prohibits all officials appointed by the President of the Republic of Liberia from engaging in political activities, canvassing or contesting for elected offices. It also prohibits the usage of Government facilities, equipment or resources in support of partisan or political activities.
Section 5.10 of the code of conduct speaks about avoidance of conflict-politics and work.
The same section speaks of immediate removal from office as a punishment for any public official, who after due process is found guilty of violating any provision of this section.
Section 5.2 (A) of the Code of Conduct states “any Minister, Deputy Minister, Director General, Managing Director and Superintendent appointed by the President pursuant to article 56(a) of the Constitution and a Managing Director appointed by a board of directors, who desires to contest for Public office elective office shall resign said, post at least two (2) years prior to the date of such public elections”.
In disregard for the above provisions of the Code of Conduct, several Presidential appointees including Information Minister Nagbe, Labor Minister Lighe contested and won positions within the Unity Party.
Minister Nagbe won the position of Secretary General which now puts him in the position as official spokesperson of government and the ruling party.
Under Liberia’s system governance structure, the Executive Branch of Government, headed by the President is responsible to enforce the law and with the Presiding in attended during the ruling party convention, enforcing the Code of Conduct looks impossible.
Some believe that the violation of the law by the Unity Party, which is pushing for third successive term in power, is a sign that another term will be no different from what Liberians have experienced over the last ten years.