Boakai Government Attacks Freedom of Expression: Human Rights Activists and Netizens Decry
Monrovia, Liberia: The government of Joseph Nyuma Boakai has with immediate effect dismissed nine (9) employees of the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) in what appears to be a vendetta against free speech after allegations by the Director General of the Civil Service Agency, Josiah Joekai, that workers were using social media to denigrate government officials, particularly the President, Joseph Boakai.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism (MICAT) on Tuesday, Joekai called for the termination of the nine employees, labeling their online activities as “deadly social media campaign” against senior public officials, especially President Boakai.
Boakai’s predecessor, former President George Manneh Weah endured a barrage of insults and denigrations while serving as president. Even the current president used denigrating words to insult Weah when he served as president, but Weah remained tolerant.
Although Joekai did not mention the names of the employees, he indicated that their actions had brought discredit to the MCC’s reputation. “The Civil Service Agency writes the Monrovia City Corporation to dismiss, with immediate effect, nine employees who persistently embark on hazardous and destructive social media campaigns against public officials, notably the President of Liberia,” Joekai said.
He added: “These actions have done a lot to prejudice the reputation and image of the MCC. The malignment of government officials by these employees with bad blood does not affect only the individual officers targeted but has wider ramifications for the government as well. If that kind of sustained and unacceptable conduct on social media is what they continue to perpetuate, then their role with the MCC is untenable, and the MCC will have no option but to consider cancelling their services and bring this fact to the prompt attention of the CSA.”
Immediately dismissal letters were issued to the nine MCC employees. Kukatonon News launched an investigation and ascertained that the nine employees are members of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change and were employed during the tenure of former Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Tamba Koijee.
Among those dismissed were Public Relations Officer Alpha G. Gray, Revenue Agent Boye Kokoi, and Procurement Assistant Richard Singbeh—all CDC partisans.
This latest wave of dismissals by the MCC may turn out to be part of an even larger pattern of suppression of free speech, contrary to what was proclaimed to this effect by the Unity Party while campaigning for the 2023 Presidential election.
There have been massive decry from the human rights community, with human rights activist, Atty. Mmonbeydo Nadine Joah, taking to Facebook to express her dissatisfaction:
“Over the past six years, I have consistently maintained that freedom of expression, while sometimes offensive, encompasses the right to criticize even the President. As the head of state, the President has the option to provide information or choose to step down if he finds himself the target of insults. It is essential, however, that no one faces job repercussions solely for expressing their opinions about the President.”
Another longstanding campaigner for human rights, Paul J. Hinneh, upon seeing the dismissal letter of Boye Kokoi, denounced the human rights abuse. “This doesn’t only constitute a flagrant violation of the right to free speech but it is a also a show of gross incompetence on the part of the producer. It is a shame.”; Hinneh wrote on his Facebook timeline.
Comic commentator, Jacob Jallah, who is always comical with critical issues in his Facebook commentary, appeared afraid and wrote: “So Liberians who are not government employees but cussing JNB on Facebook, what will be their par lor punishment? Death?
Somebalay cuss Joseph Boakai, Jo Jo ain’t geh vex, Da Josiah Joekai get vex. JNB da Josiah Joekai pa? #the Ball really #borse oo”.
These are among the barrages of outcry from human rights activists and netizens about what appears to be looming tyranny coming back to Liberia.
Liberian-born Emmanuel Orlind Cooper is an accomplished multimedia journalist with extensive experience covering news and stories on a variety of media platforms. Orlind's work frequently demonstrates his profound grasp of the region and its complexity, given his Liberian heritage.
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