Bility Demands Audit of Legislature

By Edwin N. Khakie

MONROVIA, Liberia, September 2, 2026 — Nimba County District #7 Representative Musa Hassan Bility has demanded a comprehensive audit of the National Legislature, claiming that approximately US$272 million has passed through the institution without adequate public financial reporting.

Bility, political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), said lawmakers cannot credibly demand accountability from the Executive Branch while failing to subject the Legislature to similar scrutiny.

Speaking during a wide-ranging interview, Bility said he has pushed for an audit of the Legislature since taking office and wants the institution to provide a comprehensive account of how public resources allocated to it have been spent.

“As long as we cannot be accountable, no one will take us serious when we talk about accountability. We have to audit the Legislature,” Bility said.

He argued that operational funds allocated to lawmakers, including money for stationery and other legislative activities, should be properly documented and accounted for.

Bility questioned why previous attempts to audit the Legislature have not produced results and suggested that political influence within the institution may have contributed to the delay.

He maintained that the constitutional principle of separation of powers should not shield the Legislature from financial scrutiny, arguing that lawmakers, like other public officials, must account for public resources under their control.

Bility said accountability must begin with elected officials themselves if they expect other branches and agencies of government to meet similar standards.

Turning to Liberia’s ongoing narcotics investigations, Bility questioned the government’s handling of major cocaine cases, including seizures reportedly valued at approximately US$19 million and US$317 million.

He argued that authorities have yet to publicly establish what he considers a clear connection between some of those accused and the larger drug-trafficking operations under investigation.

Bility questioned whether investigators are pursuing what he described as the principal actors behind the alleged drug networks rather than concentrating on individuals he considers peripheral suspects.

While acknowledging the government’s authority to investigate and prosecute suspected criminal activity, he also raised concerns about the prosecution of former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor.

Bility argued that prosecutors must establish through evidence a clear connection between the allegations against Taylor and the alleged narcotics operation.

He also raised questions about the laws being applied in narcotics prosecutions, arguing that criminal charges should be based on laws in force at the time the alleged offenses were committed.

The lawmaker’s comments come amid continuing public debate over the government’s handling of major drug investigations and prosecutions.

On politics, Bility said the CMC is preparing for the 2029 presidential and legislative elections and is seeking cooperation with other opposition political forces.

He disclosed plans for an opposition listening tour across Liberia aimed at engaging citizens and identifying issues they want addressed ahead of the elections.

Bility said the CMC is prepared to work with other opposition figures, including former President George Manneh Weah, but stressed that any alliance should be built around agreed principles and policies rather than the ambitions of individual politicians.

He rejected suggestions that his political relationship with Weah should be reduced to a contest between the two men, saying the broader objective should be building a political movement capable of winning public confidence.

Bility said Liberia’s political system should move away from personality-driven politics toward stronger political institutions and policy-based leadership.

He also advocated greater participation of women in political leadership, saying the CMC is considering a 50-50 representation principle aimed at increasing women’s role in political decision-making.

The CMC leader further called for broader governance reforms, including discussions around rotational leadership and measures aimed at reducing what he described as an excessive concentration of political power in the presidency.

According to Bility, Liberia needs stronger institutions capable of holding public officials accountable and ensuring that state resources are properly managed.

He maintained that politicians cannot effectively demand transparency from others while resisting scrutiny of their own institutions.

Bility’s comments come as political parties and opposition figures increasingly position themselves ahead of the 2029 elections, with governance, accountability, corruption, security and the handling of major criminal investigations likely to feature prominently in the political debate.