Los Angeles mayor under attack for attending Mahama's inauguration while fire ravaged city

Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, has faced heavy criticism and attacks for attending President John Dramani Mahama’s inauguration amidst the escalating fires that have ravaged the city.

The politician, who was part of a Biden administration delegation sent to attend the inauguration, has been criticised for her absence from her city, where raging infernos have claimed the lives of at least five people and destroyed more than 10,000 buildings.

She has faced accusations of neglecting her duties during a time of crisis, as her trip to the inauguration coincided with escalating warnings from the National Weather Service about the approaching windstorm and the ongoing wildfires.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Karen Bass traveled abroad on January 4, 2025, as the National Weather Service intensified warnings about a coming windstorm and arrived back in Los Angeles at around 11 a.m. on January 8, 2025, more than 24 hours after the fires ignited.

Photos of Bass posted online at President Mahama’s inauguration party, coinciding with the ignition of the fire, have intensified the backlash against her, with critics questioning her leadership.

Political experts have suggested that this could be detrimental to her political career.

Background

President John Dramani Mahama's January 7, 2025 swearing-in ceremony saw the attendance of high-profile delegations and personalities from all walks of life.

The event was attended by 21 Heads of State among other notable dignitaries.

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Meanwhile, watch as John Mahama assures Ghanaians to be decisive and swift in his actions