By: Ben TC Brooks
A prominent Liberian corporate lawyer, Cllr. Kunkunyon Teh of River Gee County, has strongly criticized the Legislature’s decision to create additional parliamentary seats, arguing that lawmakers have failed to provide any credible justification for expanding the body during a period of economic strain.
Cllr. Teh said that rather than increasing the number of representatives, the House should undertake a comprehensive harmonization process, one that aligns legislative seats with current population patterns, Liberia’s economic realities, and effective governance needs.
He emphasized that although the Constitution mandates population thresholds and constituency boundary adjustments following each national census, it does not compel an expansion of the Legislature.
According to him, the same constitutional provisions also empower lawmakers to reduce the number of seats if demographic or national conditions justify such action.
Given Liberia’s economic challenges and rising public frustration, Cllr. Teh argued that downsizing, or at minimum, restructuring, the Legislature would be a more responsible and nationally beneficial decision.
He added that calls for expansion appear politically motivated and more likely to advance narrow interests than to address the needs of the population.His comments have reignited a critical public debate over whether counties such as Montserrado genuinely require additional seats and what form of representation is truly necessary to ensure fairness and efficiency.
Cllr. Teh maintained that before any expansion can be justified, lawmakers must commit to a full harmonization of the Legislature to ensure constitutional compliance, equity, and effectiveness.
Meanwhile, during Tuesday’s session, the House Committees on Elections, Inauguration, and Judiciary confirmed the creation of 14 new electoral districts across 11 of Liberia’s 15 counties, based on findings from the 2022 National Census.
The decision increases the number of seats in the House of Representatives from 73 to 87, an expansion supporters argue is driven by population growth and the need for more proportional representation.
Under the new allocation, Montserrado County receives four additional seats; Nimba and Bong Counties receive two each; while Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, Grand Kru, Maryland, and Grand Cape Mount Counties gain one seat apiece.
River Gee, Sinoe, Gbarpolu, and River Cess Counties will not receive any new representation.
With these changes, Liberia’s political landscape is set for significant realignment as national debates intensify over constitutional authority, equitable representation, and competing governance priorities.
