Doloquee
Monrovia, Liberia – Liberian President George Manneh Weah has vetoed several specific items in the newly amended Elections Law recently submitted to his office by the National Legislature. In a letter sent to the House of Representatives, President Weah cited timing, contravention, and/or disharmony with already existing laws, including the Constitution.
“While I am in support of other sections in the bill, there are sections/items in said Bill that are either already addressed by existing constitutional provisions; existing statute; or that are better addressed through the existing, independent recruitment process of the NEC,” President Weah wrote.
The line items vetoed by the President include amendments to Section 2.1 regarding the Office of the National Elections Commission; Section 2.2 on appointment and tenure; Section 2.11 on the Vice Chairperson, and Section 2.12, which mandates the NEC to appoint a Legal Counsel and Research Officer from a shortlist of candidates submitted to it by the Liberian National Bar Association.
President Weah also vetoed amendments to Section 2.19 on the appointment of the Executive Director, in which the NEC is to select an executive director from the list of candidates submitted to it by the Civil Service Agency, as well as Section 2.24(1), which states that “A Magistrate of Elections shall be directly responsible to the Board of Commissioners and shall serve as a liaison between the Board of Commissioners and the County to which he/she is assigned in all matters regarding the execution and implementation of this law and regulations of the NEC, the administration and supervision of elections and all election activities within his/her County of assignment”.
In addition to these sections, President Weah vetoed amendments to Section 5.12(3)(a) and (3)(f) regarding Hearing and Determination of Complaints, Section 5.13(1) on Decisions on Complaints by the Commission, and Chapter 6A(3) concerning Returns of Election.
President Weah explained that making changes to the Elections Law with only seven months left before the General Elections would send mixed signals to the electorate and have the potential to cause delays in the election process.
“Delays in the elections could lead to political unrest and undermine our democracy. Therefore, it is important that we approach these changes with caution and ensure that they are in line with existing laws and regulations,” President Weah stated.
The President, however, approved the requirement that a political party’s list of candidates to the National Elections Commission (NEC) shall include no less than thirty percent (30%) candidates from each gender.
The amended Elections Law was submitted to the President for approval by the National Legislature, which recently approved and submitted to the President “An Act To Amend Certain Sections Of The New Elections Law (1986) As Amended Through 2014.”
