TUBMANBURG – The National Elections Commission, (NEC) Commissioner, Josephine Kou Gaye, has called for the full implementation of Section 4.5 (b and c), of the new elections law, that calls for increase in Women’s Political Participation in Liberia. The theme, of the session is, increasing Women’s Political Participation through the full implementation of section 4.5 (b and c) of the New Elections Law.
Section 4.5 (b and c) of the New Election Law says, a political party or Coalition shall have at least one-woman contestant for the primary at the convention for each constituency it nominates a candidate.
The NEC-Liberia, Commissioner Kou Gaye said, continuous commitment to the full implementation of this law, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), singed by political parties in 2017 is the surest way to increase women’s political participation in Liberia. Commissioner Josephine Kou Gaye promised that if the proposed new law which changes the clause from “endeavor to ensure” to “shall have 30 percent of each gender, the Commission shall enforce it to the letter.
The NEC-Liberia Commissioner with Oversight on Gender spoke Monday in Tubmanburg City, in Bomi County, at the start of a two-day strategic planning session on the drafting of an MOU towards the implementation of section 4.5 of the New Elections Law of Liberia.
The United Nations Development Program, UNDP Elections Project in Liberia is sponsoring the strategic sessions in Bomi and Buchanan City, in Grand Bassa County. The Buchanan session runs from the 9th and 10th of September 2021. A total of 60 participants, representing Civil Society Organizations, Community Based and Faith Based organizations, as well as Persons Living with Disabilities are expected to participate in the strategic sessions in Bomi and Grand Bassa counties.
NEC issues writ for by-elections
In a related NEC news, the National Elections Commission, (NEC) Monday issued five separate Writ of Elections to five of its Elections Magistrates for the conduct of four by-elections on 16 November 2021.
At a colorful program on Monday, 6 September 2021, held in the James M. Fromayan Conference Hall in Sinkor, the Chairperson of NEC-Liberia, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah, first issued the Election Mandates to the Clerk of Writs, Amos Kamara. In return, the Clerk of Writs, Amos Kamara later issued the writs to the five Senior Elections Magistrates for the conduct of the by-elections. Madam Browne Lansanah said, this brings to an end the elections of 2020 throughout the country, after the Commission received the returns December elections.
The four counties are Bong, Bomi, Grand Gedeh, and Nimba. The NEC-Liberia Boss informs the Five Elections Magistrates to use the writ of elections as their sufficient and legal authorities to conduct the four By-elections as a special assignment.
Accepting the writ of elections, the Senior Magistrates, Daniel Newland on behalf of his colleagues, promised to conduct the free, fair and transparent by-elections in the four counties.