By H. Matthew Turray
The Liberian House of Representatives was jolted into controversy Tuesday when Bong County District #3 lawmaker, Josiah Marvin Cole, boldly occupied the presiding chair of Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon. His audacious act, coupled with fiery pronouncements against absentee lawmakers, triggered outrage, disciplinary threats, and a looming investigation that could see him suspended for two months.
Arriving early at the Capitol chambers, Rep. Cole stunned colleagues by declaring himself “presiding officer for the day” and settling into the Speaker’s seat. He then launched into a blistering critique of lawmakers’ chronic absenteeism.
“As you can see, the place is empty. Look at it. Empty chairs. Where are the lawmakers? There are no excuses and no reasons why they should not be at work at this time. It’s 12 minutes after 10 o’clock. This is horrific. This is very, very terrible,” he thundered.
Cole warned that if lawmakers—including Speaker Koon—failed to arrive promptly, he would shut the chamber doors. “Up to 10:30 is the grace period I’m giving them. If the Speaker is not here by 10:30, it means the chambers will be shut and there will be no session today,” he declared.
He went further, threatening to recommend salary cuts for the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and House leadership: “If people are not coming to work, we’ll be sending a message to the Ministry of Finance and our Comptroller General to cut the salaries.”
Cole’s theatrics were met with swift backlash. Lawmakers loyal to Speaker Koon, particularly James Kolleh, Chairman of the Committee on Rules, Order and Administration, condemned his actions as a dangerous breach of parliamentary decorum.
Following deliberations, plenary ruled that Cole’s conduct warranted formal review. His decision to occupy the Speaker’s chair and issue unilateral pronouncements, members argued, undermined institutional order and the authority of the House. The matter was referred to the Rules, Order and Administration Committee for investigation, with findings expected Thursday.
Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, visibly angered, reminded members of the sanctity of the presiding officers’ seats. “The chairs of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are not vacant, especially when we are in the country. This is not a playground,” he said. “If you have not played enough, go home to your yard and play. This is not a playground to sit on the Speaker’s and Deputy Speaker’s chairs and start showing jaws. So, I beg you all, this place should be in order.”
Koon emphasized that House rules strictly prohibit any member from occupying the seats of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker while the presiding officers are in the country. He warned that using those seats to make pronouncements is a violation of established procedures.
The Committee on Rules, Order and Administration now faces the task of determining whether Cole’s actions constitute a breach serious enough to warrant suspension. Lawmakers have hinted at a possible two-month penalty, though Cole has denied wrongdoing, insisting he was merely enforcing the House’s own rules on punctuality.
The incident has reignited debate over discipline and accountability within the Legislature. While some citizens applaud Cole’s demand for punctuality and his call for salary cuts, others view his theatrics as reckless grandstanding that risks destabilizing parliamentary order.
As the nation watches, Thursday’s plenary promises to be decisive. Will Rep. Cole be punished for defying tradition, or will his bold stand force lawmakers to confront their own laxity? Either way, the episode has exposed deep tensions within the House and underscored the fragile balance between authority, discipline, and dissent.
