The Editor,
I would like to clarify a statement that was attributed to me by FrontPageAfrica in its August 25, 2020 edition wherein the journalist writes that “Charlyne Brumskine, the daughter of the founding father of the Liberty Party (LP) the late Charles W. Brumskine, says there is a strong possibility that the senatorial election slated for December 8, 2020 would be marred by frauds”.
Let me be clear that I do not now, nor did I intend on Friday, to make a statement that the December Senatorial elections will be automatically marred by fraud. My statement was a conditional statement that if the National Election Commission (NEC) does not ensure that the voter registration roll is scrubbed, there could be irregularities. I am NOT a political prophet. I cannot predict what will happen in December. My sincere hope is that the Government of Liberia will do all that it can to ensure fair and free elections.
In 2017 the Supreme Court of the Republic of Liberia mandated that the Government of Liberia, through the NEC, clean the existing voter registration roll. If the prescription from the Supreme Court is not adhered to, fertile ground for fraud could be created.
There is no election in this world that is conducted perfectly. Inevitably there will be errors made, intentional fraudulent efforts and unintentional human errors. It is for this reason that systems need to be put in place by public and nongovernmental institutions to ensure that irregularities are mitigated. One such start is to ensure that the voter registration roll is cleaned.
I look forward to the recently constituted body at the NEC ensuring that the lifeblood of our democracy—fair and free elections—are held.
Charlyne Brumskine