By: Varney Dukuly
MONROVIA: Election in Liberia is a constitutional process through which individuals can ascend to elected public offices or can be ejected from such offices by the citizens in line with Article One (1) of the 1986 constitution.
In the lead up to the 2023 elections, some Liberians and stakeholders have been frowning on the increasing signs of missteps allegedly by the National Elections Commission NEC) with respect to the full implementation of the Commission’s previously announced timetable for the pending polls.
According critics, the NEC, under the leadership of Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah, has been flip-flopping as regards adhering to key electoral dates, something they said, could undermine the integrity and credibility of the elections, and by extension, the country’s hard-won peace and democracy.
The official launch of Civic and Voters’ education and Voters’ registration which were slated for October 7, 2022, did not take place as indicated by NEC’s timetable for the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
Other activities such as the Validation of Administrative Units and Amalgamated Areas and Listing of Boundaries which were set to begin from September 8, and end on December 22, 2022, are yet to be implemented by the NEC, as there appear to be no visible signs for their implementation per the NEC announced timetable.
Per the NEC 2023 electoral timetable, no media institution has so far received any accreditation for the Voter Registration Process (VR), although the NEC Timetable set October 5th to December 2nd, 2022, for implementation of such exercise. Agents of political parties and observers were slated to monitor the VR process.
With much confidence, on August 31, 2022, the NEC informed Liberians and foreign residents about its readiness to conduct the much-heralded 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
However, over a period of one year now, the NEC has been making effort to transition from the OMR Registration to Biometric Technology for registration of voters.
“Biometric systems have advantages and we would ensure they are properly utilized for the best interest of all eligible voters and the country in general,” NEC Chairperson, Browne-Lansanah asserted when she released the electoral dates for 2023.
But, weeks later, the zeal that characterized the announcement of the NEC policy statement seems to have been dwindled, according to keen observers, as five other different dates hang in the balance with just few months away from the October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections which many believe are a crucial test to consolidating Liberia’s democracy.
The Browne-Lansanah led commission has failed to meet up with certain crucial dates including its August 22-September 30 deadline for accreditation to CSO/CBO with focus on monitoring the VR process.
Also, the Publication of Voter Registration and Regulation have not been executed even though the NEC sets the period (August 31-October 15 2022) for implementation of these crucial electoral exercises.
On the other hand, there are multiple issues of serious concern to Liberians and the international community, bordering on other lapses on the part of the country’s electoral body, NEC.
Among others, some of these lapses have been acknowledged by the NEC chairperson, Madam Browne-Lansanah.
She, however, told journalists recently that there will be gradual changes in the electoral timetable given the ongoing quagmire involving the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), NEC and EKEMP.
Also, there are indications that the constant postponement of the conduct of the crucial National Population and Housing Census in Liberia is creating more questions than answers as well as apprehension and uncertainty for the 2023 crucial polls.
According to constitutional analysts, the delay in the National Population and Housing Census in Liberia violates Article 39 of the 1986 Constitution which states that the ‘Legislature shall cause a census of the Republic to be undertaken every ten years.
The analysts say the Weah’s administration is apparently backing the controversial violation of the Liberian constitution by permitting the back-and-forth changes in the census date.
The first four census was held in 1962, 1974, 1984 and 2008, accounting for 1.1, 1.5, 2.1, and 3.5 millions respectively.
The conduct of the much-publicized Census which is a function of demographic, social and economic statistics in Liberia has now been pushed twice in November 7, now for 22, 2022, instead of October 24, 2022, in line with a Resolution from the House of Representatives.
Amidst these developments, some political analysts who have been following elections activities in Liberia opined that “The electoral process, coupled with the prolonged delay in the conduct of the CENSUS leaves rooms for uncertainty and apprehension over the democratic transition of the country.
