Monrovia – Scores of women with their students and disabled community counterparts have vowed to vote out lawmakers in the 2017 general and presidential elections for their failure on last Thursday to pass the Affirmative Action Bill, which seeks additional 21 seats in the House of Representatives for women, youth and the disabled community.
Report by Mae Azango [email protected] and Henry Karmo [email protected]
Women, traditional groups, students and activists in general had flocked at the Capitol Building to witness the Affirmative Action Bill, which has already been passed by the Senate, but were dismayed when lawmakers of the lower House refused to pass the bill on grounds that it had to be enacted through the electoral laws of Liberia next year. The bill seeks a 30 percent participation in politics.
Lawmakers’ Argument
Several members of the House of Representatives raised constitutional issues that they believe could be violated in any attempt to create additional seats.
After almost three hours of debate on the bill, it was the first time in years to have a tie on a bill. The deputy Secretary of the House read a result of a vote taken by standing that showed 18 for and 18 against.
The tie was broken by Deputy Speaker Barchue, who voted in favor of the bill but a motion for reconsideration was made by Representatives Byron Brown, Bhofal chambers and Saah Joseph, placing the bill on hold.
If the motion for reconsideration is defeated the House of Representatives and Senate will need to hold a conference committee because the Motion made by Representative Numene Bartekwa (District # 2 Grand Kru County) reduces the number from 21 to 7.
Bartekwa said: “I move if I receive a second that the Country is divided into 5 regions with 1 representative coming from each region, and that the youth, and disable be allotted 1 seat each.”
The session was witnessed by women from the civil society and the disable community. Many who went to witness the session in anticipation that their presence in number would have influence the decision of the lawmakers but they left disappointed as they refused to speak to FrontPage Africa.
In the joint chambers of the Legislature, where the final hearings on whether the Affirmative Action Act must be passed by the House of Representatives, the argument had been tense on Wednesday.
Section 2.1 states that from and immediately upon the passage of this act, twenty one (21) special legislative constituencies are established within the republic of Liberia for which additional twenty one (21) members of the house of representative, shall be elected beginning with the 2017 presidential and general elections.
Two point (2.2) also states that Individuals seeking for elections to the house of Representatives within the special legislative constituencies shall be subjected to the eligibility criteria for said position as set forth in the constitution and the Elections laws of Liberia; and, once elected, shall enjoy the tenure, rights, powers, privileges and benefits accorded members of the house of Representatives as enshrined in the constitution, statutes and laws of Liberia.
Angry women
Many women sitting on the floor above the chambers, were disappointed from the beginning of the session, when the affirmative Action Bill, which was the second item on the agenda to be discussed, was brought down to the last item to be discussed. Youth and men also witness eagerly as the lawmakers argued to prove their points.
One of such lady who frowned with disappointment over the hauling and pulling as to why or why not the bill be passed was Daintowon Domah Payebaye, representing the disable community as well as the youth.
“If the lawmakers say they are not going to pass the bill, they also have their rights, but women will still go into some of those districts that have not seen this bill fusible and contest and remove them and take positive decision. Sometimes you take the revolutionary approach to redeem the masses, like Rwanda women did, but some of the lawmakers see it as if we are fighting against them for power,” said Payebaye.
Speaking during the discussion on the passage of the bill and expressing her disappointment, Payebaye said she realized that some of the lawmakers were not informed on the youth policy that declares youth participation in politics.
“Some of the lawmakers on the floor are not informed because they are asking for documents on youth participation in politics, when the African Youth Chapter defines the youth policy. Than you as an honorable lawmaker are asking ‘Which document talked about youth policy?’
So we feel that some of them are not informed, but notwithstanding, we are still waiting to see how it goes, and whatever decision they come up with, we will take it in good fate, but some of us are already in the processes to make sure that they are removed,” she said.
Also speaking on act that gives provision for people living with disabilities, Payebaye said Beyan Kota of the Christian Association of the Blind contested the past elections and was judged by his disability, which people were saying ‘What a blind man can do as a representative?’”
“If I am a blind person, I have the right to serve in the Police or the in the military. I am not going to take my eyes on the warfront to fight, but I will use my brains to direct you how to fight, and my intelligence will make you win the war.
That is an administrative post that I can occupy, so you cannot deny me based upon disability. Disability is just an impairment that may be hindered by barriers in society, and some of the things that clear societal barriers are the instrument of policies. So this is why we are coming together to support such bill, but people do not understand it.”