Doloquee
President Weah mandates appointed government officials to resign before the upcoming Presidential and Legislative Elections scheduled for October 10, 2023.
In an executive order issued on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, the President stated that all appointed officials of the government aspiring to contest elective positions must resign on or before April 7, 2023, as per the amended Sections 5.2 and 10.2 of the 2014 Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct aims to dissociate the fiduciary duty of trust, integrity, and loyalty owed by public officials to the people from their personal desires to contest elections at the expense of public resources.
“The Act provides that all officials appointed by the President including all cabinet ministers, deputy and assistant cabinet ministers, ambassadors, ministers consuls, superintendents of counties and other Government officials, both military and civilian, appointed by the President pursuant to Article 56(a) of the 1986 Constitution, and any managing director, deputy managing director, assistant managing director of corporation owned by the Government of Liberia, any commissioner, deputy and assistant commissioner of any commission established by the Legislature, and any official of the Government who negotiates and executes contracts, procures goods and services, and/or manages assets for and on behalf of the Government of Liberia, who desires to canvass or contest for an elective public office within the Government of Liberia shall resign his or her position one (1) year before the date on which the election for the post for which he/she intends to contest.”
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The order applies to all appointed public officials, including cabinet ministers, deputy and assistant cabinet ministers, ambassadors, ministers consuls, superintendents of counties, and other government officials.
The President acknowledged that the amended Act can’t prevent public officials from contesting in the upcoming elections, but he emphasized the government’s compelling interest in creating “a level plain political field to prevent Liberia’s competitive politics from unfair and undue advantages.”
The President’s executive power vests him with the authority to issue executive orders in the public interest, either to meet an emergency or to correct situations that can’t wait for the lengthy legislative process.
