The Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security, Defense, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, Senator Steve Zargo has cautioned the Government of Liberia (GOL) to be mindful of what he calls “military sympathy” from neighboring military friends and loyalists of his kinsman Senator-elect Brownie Samukai from the sub-region following the delay and protests over his certification by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
Senator Zargo, who is a member of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) is representing the people of Lofa County at the level of the Liberian Senate in the 54thNational Legislature.
Mr. Samukai was declared the winner of the December 8, 2020 senatorial election in Lofa. But his certification by the National Elections Commission (NEC) has suffered multiple setbacks due to lawsuits filed by the government and the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC).
But speaking when he appeared as guest on the OK Morning Rush on OK FM99.5 on Monday, August 9, Senator Zargo reminded the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led-government of President George Manneh Weah that Mr. Samukai served the Unity Party led-government of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as Minister of Defense for 12 years.
He emphasized that with the prolonged stay of Mr. Samukai as a Defense Minister, he should not be seen or considered as an “ordinary man”.
He noted that Mr. Samukai remains one of the best “military species” across the West African sub-region and as such, “issues involving him should be handled in a way that justice will be served in an expeditious form”.
Senator Zargo maintained that the issues surrounding the initiation of protests in the county over the delay in the certification of his kinsman Senator-elect Brownie Samukai must also be handled with utmost care and professionalism.
His comments come barely few days after scores of aggrieved youths staged a violent protest in the county in demand for the certification of their Senator-elect.
“What is obtaining in Lofa is something that I saw coming. The issue happening in Lofa should be handled in a professional and expeditious manner. We saw what happened in Grand Cape Mount County; and the issue with the former Defense Minister-we must be cautious”.
“The former Defense Minister (Brownie Samukai) is not just an ordinary person. He was a Defense Minister for 12 good years. He got 12 good friends in the sub-region, especially military friends. They (friends) may have military sympathy for him in the Mano River or ECOWAS basin. There is sympathy”.
He noted that leadership role and the requisite skills must be applied to ensure that the matter does not escalate to something else, making specific reference to a situation in South Africa.
Advice to Weah
Senator Zargo stressed that it is now time that the National Security Advisor to President Weah, Mr. Jefferson Karmoh, proffer the necessary advice to his boss to ensure that the matter involving Mr. Samukai is expeditiously handled.
He claimed that though efforts have been applied sufficiently by him and other local authorities of the county to encourage citizens to continue to abide and allow the law to take it course in the matter involving Mr. Samukai, scores of the citizens, particularly young people believe that the case has “dragged on”.
He emphasized that this is the first of its kind for a county in Liberia to be without another Senator for about nine months.
Senator Zargo pointed out that as the lone Senator of Lofa, he remains faced with multiple constraints in moving across the entire county to listen and help address some of the challenges confronting citizens.
No extra favor
He added that Lofans are not asking for “extra favor” from anyone, but they want a determination to be made in the matter in a bid to end the rigmarole between the government and citizens of the county.
When this is done, he stated that, citizens of the county will move forward without any delay.
He noted that the current situation of planned protests in Voinjama, Zorzor and Foya districts in Lofa by aggrieved youths should not be misconstrued because, these citizens had gone to “express their dissatisfaction”.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on government; I am part of government and I Chair the Committee on Defense and Security. I have a civil and judicial obligations and duties to this country and so, nobody should expect that I will just say things loosely-let us close this chapter and make a determination so that Lofa County people can move ahead.
Senator Zargo maintained that the humility of Lofans should not be overridden or misconstrued because; citizens want the case to be closed to forge ahead.
“We all are in this ship together. The state is sailing and we are all involved-the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches are all involved. Some of our good intentions have been misconstrued. What we intend to do for this country, we do our best. Though at times it’s not understood well, but we are doing our best”.
In July, the Supreme Court Justice Joseph Nagbe granted the Government of Liberia’s request to order the National Elections Commission (NEC) to halt the certification of Lofa County Senator-elect J. Brownie Samukai, Jr.
Associate Justice Nagbe said the petition for the writ of prohibition being properly applied for and taking into consideration the controlling laws cited is hereby granted.
He ordered the clerk of the court to issue the peremptory writ of prohibition, send a mandate to the first respondent, NEC, disallowing the certification of the second respondent J. Brownie Samukai, Jr., until his disability imposed on him by his conviction is removed according to law.
The government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice filed a writ of prohibition on March 29, 2021 to prevent Senator-elect Samukai, Jr. from being certificated by the National Elections Commission.
The government prays that Samukai is a judicially disenfranchised citizen and a convicted felon.
In February this year, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s ruling, sentencing the former Defense Minister, along with two former subordinates to a two-year imprisonment for misuse of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) pension fund, but with a condition that they would be set free if they restitute the US$1.3 million over a one-year period.
The Government argued that with the guilty verdict hanging over him, Samukai, who had earlier secured a massive victory in Lofa County on the opposition Collaborating Political Party’s ticket during the Special Senatorial Election, was unfit to serve as Senator and therefore should not be certificated by the NEC. The latest ruling is a major blow to the embattled Senator-elect who is desperately looking for an opportunity to mend his broken character, and the CPP that is seeking to increase its number at the Liberian Senate going into the 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
Source: FPA
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