By Bill W. Cooper
In a significant move towards ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process, several opposition leaders have taken a unified stand by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to protect the votes of Liberian citizens in the upcoming Presidential and Legislative elections.
The signing of the MoU came following days, months, and years of opposition leaders explicitly voicing their concerns regarding potential electoral malpractices, and have pledged to work collaboratively to prevent any such occurrences.
Liberians across the country are poised to go to the polls on October 10, 2023 to elect a President and Vice President, as well as 15 Senators and 73 Representatives, to steer the affairs of the country for the next six years.
Incumbent President, George M. Weah, is facing a serious challenge from former Vice President, Joseph Boakai, of the Unity Party (UP), Alexander Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Tiawan Gongloe of the Liberian People’s Party, (LPP) and 16 others, for the Liberian Presidency.
The MoU, a powerful symbol of solidarity and unity among opposition parties, was signed Monday, August 28, 2023, during a momentous gathering which brought together various political leaders and a party chairman at the Royal Grand Hotel in Monrovia.
Five out of the 11 leaders, and or chairman of various opposition parties put aside their political differences and came together with the common objective of safeguarding the electoral rights of the people by affixing their signatures to the landmark document.
Those signing the MoU at first during the event are Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Standard Bearer of the African Liberation League (ALL), and Alexander B. Cummings, Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
Others are Tiawan Gongloe, Standard Bearer of the Liberia People’s Party (LPP); MacDella Cooper, Standard Bearer of the Movement for One Liberia (MOL), and Rev. Luther Tarpeh, National Chairman of the Unity Party (UP).
The historical event marks a turning point in Liberian politics, as it demonstrates a collective commitment towards upholding democratic principles and ensuring that the voices of the citizens are heard loudly and clearly.
Under the terms of the MoU, the opposition parties have agreed to establish a joint training and development of independent poll watchers/poll watching teams to various polling centers across the country, during the October 10 polls.
In the MoU, the opposition parties also agreed to ensure a united opposition at various polling stations, as well as ensure that there is cooperation to support opposition candidates where parties do not have candidates on elections day.
According to the MoU, the various political parties’ leaders have also agreed to establish an independent war room that receives votes from polling centers across the country, including the development of a software that will track election results electronically.
The parties, in the MoU, further agreed, “The establishment of a joint secretariat to ensure a drafting of agreements and driving the implementation of joint activities, and to independently track, document, and report violence against opposition and ensure a dossier is maintained with evidence.”
“We the opposition leaders have also agreed to jointly engage the international community on security and other related issues for the October 10 elections. And finally, we have agreed as opposition to work together for joint positioning on round two,” the opposition leaders, in the Mou, added.
Meanwhile, remarking during the signing of the document, the founding member and Standard Bearer of the African Liberation League (ALL), Sara Beysolow Nyanti, thanked the opposition leaders who turned up for the signing ceremony, which she said is a milestone achievement for the opposition community.
Madam Nyanti at the same time clarified that the setting-up of a secretariat, as enshrined within the MoU, will consist of representatives from each of the participating parties, intended to ensure the monitoring and safeguarding of the integrity of the electoral process.
This, she furthered, that the secretariat has now been tasked with the responsibility to craft a clearer road map leading to the enforcement and safeguarding of Liberians’ votes on October 10 of this year, as well as identify and address any irregularities, ensuring a free and fair elections.
She then announced that the process is still open to other political parties interested in forming part of the team, adding, “This is just the start, and we want to encourage our other colleagues to also see the need for us to join forces and protect the image and integrity of our country’s elections.”
Several of the political leaders in attendance lauded madam Nyanti for her far-sightedness in coming up with such an idea, which they believe, with help in sharing information and updates with the public, would enable citizens to stay informed about the progress made in protecting their votes.
This approach, according to the political parties’ leaders, aims to build trust and confidence in the electoral process and emphasizes the importance of the people’s participation in shaping the country’s future.
The Political Party leaders also called for the full implementation of every item line enshrined within the MoU, so as to ensure that the government of President George M. Weah does not have the power to rig or manipulate the election results on October 10.
As the October 10 elections draw near, the opposition leaders have also called on the government, electoral authorities, and international partners to actively work together towards a credible election that reflects the will of the Liberian people.
