What was once seen as a political marriage between Senator Amara Konneh and the Unity Party has turned sour. The man who was once at the center of the Unity Party War Room, pulling data and crafting strategies now appears to be headed for a political divorce as loyalties shift. The rift went public days after Senator Konneh appeared on Spoon Talk. Deputy Minister of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Information, Daniel Sando responded with a blistering attack.
“Who considers Senator Amara Konneh as a critical voice in Liberia when this man bears the greatest responsibility for reversing some of the gains this country achieved in the past,” Sando asked rhetorically. He went on, “Amara is a Muslim, and he needs to return to the Mosque to ask Allah for forgiveness for his sins. He connived and systematically rigged the election that made Weah president.”
Senator Konneh fired back, describing Sando as “an unskilled sycophant riding on the back of an aging President.” “I am a practicing Muslim who prays five times a day, fasts and gives charity to the poor,” Konneh said. “I also respect the Christian faith and participate in daily Christian devotions at the Senate. I don’t need an unskilled sycophant riding on the back of an aging President to tell me to go to the Mosques and pray.”
Konneh said his decision to speak out against Liberia’s cocaine problem is driven by love for country and a desire to see the Unity Party-led government fulfill its promise to fight illicit drugs. “As a national leader and a voice for Liberians affected by illicit drugs, I have earned the right to speak on this issue. Silence would be complicity,” he added.
The Constitution provides for three separates but coordinating branches of government. But with exchanges between a Deputy Minister in the Executive branch and a Senator in the Legislature, many political observers have expressed frustration.
Senator Abraham Darius Dillon weighed in with advice for Sando. “Your recent comments directed at Senator Amara Konneh, essentially referencing his religion and religious belief, were inappropriate and out of order, from my viewpoint,” Dillon said adding, “There are many other ways to respond to issues than the manner and path you have chosen. You need to reach out to make amends.”
Recently, Deputy Information Minister Daniel O. Sando escalated his public criticism of Senator Amara Konneh, accusing him of contributing to the political defeat of President Joseph N. Boakai during the 2017 presidential election.
Sando alleged that Konneh and other political actors deliberately worked against Boakai’s presidential ambitions at the time, arguing that their actions helped create the political conditions that led to George Weah’s election. The Deputy Minister said the alleged political maneuvering carries historical significance because, in his view, Liberians later experienced serious challenges during the Weah administration.
Sando further dismissed arguments that the controversy should be viewed through a religious lens. He maintained that religious identity should not be used to deflect attention from political conduct and accountability.
He also questioned Senator Konneh’s current criticism of the Boakai administration, claiming that Konneh’s political history shows a consistent pattern of opposition to Boakai’s political agenda. “Amara’s historical posture has consistently been that of a reactionary figure,” Sando said.
The Deputy Minister contrasted Boakai’s leadership with the administration of former President George Weah, arguing that the current government is working to repair problems inherited from the previous administration. Sando argued that despite questions surrounding Boakai’s age, the president is working to address national challenges that, according to him, were worsened during the previous administration.
This latest exchange is expected to further fuel the ongoing public debate and political tensions surrounding criticism of the Boakai administration, Senator Konneh’s political record, the 2017 presidential election, and Liberia’s recent electoral history.
