Mohamed Massaquoi
Source: allAfrica.com
Freetown — Liberian citizens currently residing in Sierra Leone have appealed to their President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to negotiate with the National Electoral Commission of Liberia for them to be allowed to participate in the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in their country scheduled for next year.
The Liberia National Electoral Commission, a body charged with the responsibility of conducting the electoral activities in that country, past Friday announced the electoral calendar for the holding of the 2011 presidential and legislative elections.
Reports from the Liberian capital of Monrovia revealed that the commission would not be considering citizens resident outside Liberia in the electioneering process as such a legislation has not been made by the highest law making body of that country.
"We are appealing to the president and government of Liberia to make provision for some of us who would not be chanced to travel from Sierra Leone to Liberia for the voter registration exercise and the election itself. We've been reliably informed that the commission has not made any provision for Liberian citizens outside the country to vote for their candidates," Moses Moriba, one of the Liberians resident in Sierra Leone, told Concord Times.
Sheku Debate Junior, also a Liberian said NEC should emulate the good example of the Guinean electoral commission wherein Guinean citizens across the West Africa rub-region, including Sierra Leone, were given the opportunity to register and vote for their respective candidates in the just concluded presidential election.
He said the Liberian authorities should not disenfranchise them just because of policy or logistical constraints on the side of the commission. A good number of them expressed similar sentiments.
The Liberia National Electoral Commission has been engaged with pre-electoral activities such as voter registration and education, consultations with major stakeholders such women's groups, political party leaders, and the media; all in an effort to discuss how the process could be handled to avoid confusion and other disingenuous activities.
