By Bill W. Cooper
Two of the recent ambassadors-designate have publicly criticized former Foreign Affairs Minister, Dee Maxwell Kemayah; describing him as “disrespectful and arrogant character who lacked proper communication channels” during leadership at the Ministry.
Amb-designate to the United Kingdom Genevieve Kennedy and Amb.-designate to Ghana, Musu J. Ruhle made the assertions on Friday, November 22, 2024, during their confirmation hearing before the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Affairs in Monrovia.
During the over five hours interaction, the ambassadors, who have been nominated to represent Liberia in key diplomatic posts, took the opportunity to voice their concerns about Kemeyah’s leadership style and the impact it had on their professional relationships during his tenure.
As the hearing commenced, the atmosphere was lively when Bomi County Senator and Co-Chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee question the nominees about their relationship with the current Minister and the former Minister.
In response to the senators’ inquest, Amb-designate Ruhle said, “Unlike the past, the current Minister and I have a very good relationship and more besides, she is a very nice woman.”
“But in the past, when Kemayah was at the Foreign Ministry, he was very disrespectful and arrogant towards his employees, including ambassadors. We are diplomats; even though we work for government, we are responsible people and it does not mean that your boss should be disrespectful to you,” she expressed.
“And in all fairness, the Minister was very disrespectful, and I am not the only one saying that, everybody knows that. We have had others who treated us with respect but he didn’t; so I’m really happy he is now replaced,” she maintained.
Ruhle added, “Minister Kemayah’s arrogance did not only affect our morale but also hindered our ability to effectively represent Liberia on the international stage. A diplomat must be able to communicate openly and respectfully, and that was solely lacking.”
Amb-designate Kennedy, buttressed her colleague by saying, “During my time working under Minister Kemeyah, I experienced a level of disrespect that is unbecoming of a leader in such a critical position.”
“His communication style was also often condescending, and it created an environment where collaboration was nearly impossible, and as a diplomat, we couldn’t take decisions without our boss as such, we really found it hard during our work,” she noted.
According to her, there is a need for the government to create an environment where respect and collaboration are the norms, and said, “Diplomats should be equipped with the tools they need to succeed, and that starts with culture of communicator.”
“It is also time that government prioritizes the development of diplomats and ensures that they are prepared to represent Liberia with dignity and respect. This is not just about the individuals involved; it is about the future of our nation on the global stage,” she added.
