Monrovia-The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), an election monitoring group is conducting a two-day EISA-LIEOM Multi-Stakeholder Post- 2023 Liberia Presidential and Legislative Elections Review Workshop to correct some of the wrongs during and after the election.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)[email protected]
Speaking during the event, EISA’s Head of Mission and former Vice President of Zambia Dr Nevers Mumba said the recently concluded 2023 general and presidential elections in Liberia have been a testament to the nation’s dedication to democratic principles.
Addressing the gathering, EISA head of mission said as an International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) they were able to undertake the responsibility of observing, assessing, and reporting on all phases of the electoral process.
From the Biometric Voter’s Registration to the runoff presidential election, Dr. Mumba says EISA’s mission provided weekly “elections perspective” publications, something he says offers insights to keep all stakeholders informed and contributing to the transparency of the process. Thus, he stressed that the power of observation can cast light on dark corner activities and on the state of the electoral process.
“Today, as we embark on this post-election review workshop, we aim to collectively reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the past electoral process. This platform provides an invaluable opportunity for stakeholders, including government representatives, civil society organizations, political parties, the media, women and youth groups, academia, and the international community, to share their observations and discuss recommendations for the future,” he said.
The objectives of the workshop according to Dr. Mumba will share insights from various election observation reports, facilitate reflection and future actions based on recommendations, and promote the consolidation of democratic electoral processes through targeted discussions on legal and other reforms.
“As we delve into these discussions, let us keep in mind the overarching guiding questions: What worked well, what did not, and why? What needs to be done going forward? Your experiences from the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections will form the basis for answering these questions, adhering to the requirements of the Liberia Constitution and other Electoral Laws,” he said.
Dr. Mumba added: “While we applaud Liberia for conducting a relatively free and fair election, we are alive to the fact that there remains more to be done to fix and improve the electoral process. Fixing the process is more effective in peace time, away from the election season. This is why we have come back today to ensure that we work together to fix the broken and weak links we collectively observed in the electoral process.”
Dr. Mumba also poured down praises on the former President of Liberia George Weah for showcasing what he termed as the highest level of democracy practice at a time where the West African region is struggling from political unrest.
The former Vice President of Zambia who has traveled to Liberia four times in the last five months said: “We finally wish to commend the man of the match, former President George Weah for allowing democracy to win in a region that doesn’t always get it right. As close as the results were, President Weah honorably bowed out even before NEC declared the results. May history judge him favorably.”
He added: “I extend heartfelt congratulations to the government and the people of Liberia for conducting a peaceful and democratic electoral process.”