As Snowe Impeachment Proceeding Heats Up, Liberians Urges Lawmakers to Be Decisive

As House of Representatives' Speaker Edwin M. Snowe impeachment proceeding continues, several Liberians including youths, the elderly and Government officials are calling on the Liberian lawmakers to be decisive during the proceedings against the Speaker.

Speaking to the GNN last evening, many of those said the issue presently before the parliament should not be taken for granted, "There is a need for them to be decisive in this issue", a student of the University of Liberia, Sam Daniels told reporter.

Also a market women who spoke to our reporter said the current confusion at the Capitol must be looked into, "Those people must act responsibly, especially those who called themselves Honorables", Sara Thomas, perhaps in her late 50s said.

Meanwhile, lots of people are murmuring on the issue, especially the holding of separate sessions this week during the seating of the legislators.The first branch of government, the National Legislature finally resumed its second sitting yesterday as provided for by law.

The ceremony t was characterized by deepening controversy over attempts by some lawmakers to unseat the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The second official sitting at the National Legislature was held at two different venues with the emergence of a new presiding officer in a process described by many as legislative coup d’etat, with the chairman of the House Standing Committee on Executive, Hon. Kettehkumeh Murray, presiding over thirty nine lawmakers at the Unity Conference Center.

House Speaker Snowe presided over the rest at the Centennial Pavilion. Though the rules of the Legislature calls for the session of the House of representatives to be presided over by the Speaker, the district #3 representative and University lecturer, Hon. Murray, is said to have taken over the leadership of the Lower House with most of the lawmakers following him. On the contrary, the embattled Speaker of the Liberian parliament, Hon. Edwin Snowe together with fifteen other lawmakers at Pavilion formally opened the Legislature second sitting though in a rather strange and unusual form and manner.

The Deputy Speaker, Sergeant –At-Arms and the chief Clerk attended the opening session of the Legislature second sitting, graced by dozens of local and foreign journalists at the Pavilion. Shortly following the opening session, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Edwin Snowe, told a news conference at which time he accused the Executive of being the pilot to unseat him. According to Speaker Snowe, a mass meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry by the President and some lawmakers to remove him, but vowed to defeat Liberia’s youthful democracy.

He distributed cassette to journalists as evidence to his claim that certain lawmakers have received US$5,000 to unseat him. The Liberian senate held its peaceful sitting while the Lower House was divided with speaker Snowe and Kettehkumeh Murray serving as head of the same house. The embattled Speaker assured that he would use his powers to ensure that there is respect for the due process of law. It’s not known what will take place today at its formal sitting.