A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF LIBERIA DEMOCRACY WATCH
THE ELECTIONS EXAMINER NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2011
MONITORING LIBERIA’ DEMOCRATIC GROWTH As Liberia braces itself for the holding of Presidential and Legislative elections later this year, CSOs such as LDW have embarked on the arduous task of working to enhance democracy in Liberia. Establish over r a decade ago, LDW has been enlisted amongst the agents of democratic development a sustainable strategic initiative to tilt the progress of Liberia to loftier heights away for the devastation of war. Over the period of the 2011 elections, LDW will lift incidences and reports of actions envisioned as inimical to the health of the state and the people within its borders. The is the first of what will be a monthly reflections of what will be a portrayal of conflict sensitive development in the electoral process which LDW hoes can be addressed to avert widespread anarchy jeopardize the Campaign Finance: There has been numerous calls for The Elections Examiner will review andand report incidences peace! emerging directly out of the elections and related against the abuse of the incumbency especially regarding activities with in the Liberian landscape including actions the ruling Unity Party’s access to critical national with impact and influence on those elections. The resources. While the NEC have has numerous indications examination is structured using following parameters: of these abuse, the capacity and willingness of the NEC to THE PARAMETERS OFthe THE EXAMINATION Campaign Finance, Conflict Mitigation, Electoral act on these matters have posed concerns for many. Framework Administration, Electoral Rights, Media Clothed with the athority to police any breach, the NEC Objectivity, Political Party and Security Environment. has proven incapable of confronting the evil. While many Each of these parameters provide a summation of elections specific issues which if not tended in a timely manner could metamorphose into uncontrollable disorder negatively impacting the pending electoral process.
reports transfer of money in the interest of the ruling party, the NEC has played down such reports. Notable amongst such reports were the admittance by a seating Senator donating over a L$1M Liberia dollars to the National Union of Democratic Progress (NUDP) in the name of the ruling party. This situation went without any reprimands to the UP. As elections draw nearer it is hoped that the situation be managed as it can turn very disruptive the more glaring insensitive the UP becomes.
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Conflict Mitigation: The electoral laws, assisted by the Supreme The NEC has seemingly played down the propensity of the failure Court and the inter-Party Consultative Committee comprised of givenpolitical the challenges and has set itself aloft to carried out the two various elections stakeholders including the NEC, critical processes. With legal challenges continuing to evolve from parties, CSOs and INGOs sits as a clearinghouse for electoral the process, conflicts. Critical however is the how transparently andany decision in favor of petitioners could generate an expeditiously such situations are handled. undesirable outlook for the NEC and on its integrity to manage Liberia’s electoral process. Decision delay in the MPC’s petition before the Supreme Court is a classic case in point. Growing calls While there has been many issues surrounding the electoral for boycotting the referendum is another testimony of the level of framework and the conduct of the of constitutionally approved confidenceofharbored by the public for the process. Overall there elections have characterized the process, the government are fears of low voter turnout as a consequence of the public Liberia including the Supreme Court have reverted to legal outlook the process. technicalities as against constitutional interpretation to on side step the issues raised by CSOs and some candidates. With Rights: the preservation of individual political and social barely a week to elections, there is an injunction onElectoral the pending rights as constitutionally record not infractions during this referendum by the Supreme Court without a decision in describe the period. While in areas such as Lofa and Nimba Counties there horizon. were complaints of registration denials by NEC officials, the generality of the public were provided the right to be registered Reports reflect another concern regarding the upon presentation of verifiable confirmation of status of national and occasion age. formatting of ballot papers and the confusion that will for the mostly illiterate populations. This matter is yet to be Media Objectivity: Data processed and representing the assertions addressed as the polls are slated for 23 rd August 2011. There is of this report reflects that the media did generally provide even an urgent need to bring various shades of opinions to the table coverage ofofevents for all shades of political opinions. Hopes are instead of the mudslinging surrounding the petro-bombing the home of Eugene Nagbe. that this is maintained and that the Press Union of Liberia and its auxiliaries are accordingly vigilant. The timely handling of these critical matters especially between amongst political parties on one hand, political parties Political Party Environment: Liberia’s political parties are and the NEC on the other will strengthen public confidence in generally undemocratic and therefore plagued with numerous the administration of the NEC and the judicial system. leadership tussles couple with their vulnerability to the biggest . bidders. A reflection on the numerous candidacies and how they Electoral Framework Administration: By farwere theobtained most speaks volumes of the level of institutionalization of those parties. Resultantly, cases of massive cross-carpeting to the contentious component of the electoral fray is the current ruling party, pledging of support for jobs, sponsored “house – electoral framework. Carved out from what is generally referred coups” symbolized attempts by parties to reposition or better positionthere themselves against others in the race. LDW believes that to as the “Joint Resolution” of the national Legislature, until parties are institutionalized based on identifiable philosophies has been a lot of contention about the legality of the framework. and approaches and that government ceases to be the attraction for Notwithstanding the projected challenges, the NECemployment, over turned this state of affairs will remain. an initial declaration informing the public that a Security referendum Environment: The introduction of arson and mayhem in was to be held in August of 2011. As a consequence of the late Liberia’s political process is a crucial concern. Obtaining in a volatile security environment, this new development will posed an uncertain declaration, the NEC has been confronted with the added stress on UNMIL and its resources. Considering the level of already daunting task of national election administration to distrust by Liberia for their indigenous security structures much have to grapple with two very humongous tasks has within three to control and manage the political landscape form to done hence on. Efforts must be made to assess isolated incidences with months of each other. a view to addressing same in a timely and sustainable manner. It is
This newsletter will be a monthly publication and will highlight any of the parameters which depending on their prevalence at the time will be dealt with in more details. For the process of this report, LDW gathered and processed some 43 direct electoral incidences over the month of August 2011. From this reports collected the following graphical illustration is derived:
These parameters reflect incidences collected against each over the period of the month of August 19, 2011. Internal party leadership tussles and the volatility of the security environment ranked highest in the data. While all parameters do have counter balancing effects on the security of the process, managing each sector cannot be done exclusively. As issues under each parameter can impact other parameters, it is critical that effective mediation mechanisms are on the alert over the electoral process. Woeful amongst the findings of the data is the absence of trustworthy political party democracy. The rumblings emerging from various political parties’ primaries serve to validate this assertion. No democracy is sustainable when the very vehicle required to strengthen and drive the process is weak. Again, with very weak political institutions, Liberia journey to sustainable democracy seem bleak except efforts by various actors are available to redirect the state of affairs. The need to review Liberia political party environment is critical. This view MUST take into consideration the potential for setting threshold for parties attaining established electoral thresholds and be given support for its work. This would strengthen sustainability and promote political institutionalization. ######