7 December 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Rerun or Runoff? Liberia Supreme Court Decides 7 December, Sources: FrontPage Africa, The NEWS, The New Dawn  and Daily OBSERVER

FrontPage Africa and other media outlets report that the Supreme Court of Liberia is expected today, 7 December 2017 to put an end to a legal battle that halted the preparations for the runoff election. The ruling from the nation’s high court will either mean the country will go for a rerun or runoff, a decision Liberians eagerly await. According to the papers; judicial reporters, on Wednesday, 6 December, a number of international guests were seen on the grounds of the Temple of Justice.

Appearing before the High Court last week, lawyers from the National Elections Commission (NEC), Liberty Party and Unity Party, each made a case for their clients. They cited relevant laws to defend their position but the outcome of their representations lies in the hand of the five Justices on bench. After all the legal drama, the Appeal Court is now looking in the case at bar as to whether or not there’s a merit to overturn the 10 October Presidential and Legislative Elections results or allow NEC to proceed with the runoff.

Prior to 7 November 2017, a writ of prohibition was placed on the preparations for the conduct of the runoff by the Supreme Court of Liberia following a petition for a Writ for Prohibition filed by Liberty Party’s standard bearer, Cllr. Charles Brumskine, against the NEC.

Liberty Party requested the Writ of Prohibition and a rerun of the 10 October presidential and legislative elections, citing mass irregularities and fraud. The ruling Unity Party, joined the Liberty Party’s pursuit of annulling the 10 October polls.

Soccer legend and Senator of Montserrado County, George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the Vice President, Joseph Boakai, of the Unity Party, are poised to contest the runoff election if the high court rules a runoff.

The Hearing Magistrate and Board of Commissioners of NEC denied the Liberty and Unity Parties’ appeal for a rerun of the 10 October elections, stating that they failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the allegations of mass irregularities and electoral fraud.In their ruling, the Board of Commissioners upheld the ruling of the Hearing Officer, Cllr. Muana Ville, saying that the parties failed to prove fraud. Read More

‘Block All Phone Calls’ – Supreme Court Chaplain Prays, Source: FrontPage Africa

A chaplain at the Supreme Court of Liberia has prayed that anyone using a phone to call any of the Justices in order to interfere with the opinion of the High Court on the elections case, those numbers should be blocked. Reverend Cisco Brown’s call comes in the wake as the Court is expected today, Thursday, 7 December, to give its ruling in the Bill of Exception case filed by the opposition Liberty Party and the governing Unity Party, nearly two weeks ago.

Rev. Brown, who is one of the Court’s Chaplains, offering prayer at the opening of the court just before the Bill of Exception argument hearing began at the Supreme Court, said, “We have reached the hour for your children to dispense justice; we lift them into Your hands because You said ‘the heart of a king is in Your hands and You can swirl it anywhere you think.’ “We pray as they concentrate, we ban every spirit of text message and phone calls." "Those who dare try such may their phones be blocked in the Name of Jesus,” he screamed. At the end of the prayer, Chief Justice Francis Korkpor described it as “powerful,” adding: “Rev, Brown that was a powerful one.”

ECOWAS Technical Support Teams Point to Flaws in Voters Roll - Says It Can Still Be Used For Elections, Source: FrontPage Africa

FrontPage Africa has obtained a leaked report of the ECOWAS Technical Support team to the National Elections Commission (NEC) that suggests that NEC made several flaws from the onset of the electoral process up to Election Day. The ECOWAS delegation was headed by Mr. Kwadwa Afari-Gyan, former Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana. Other members include Engr. Chidi Nwafor, Director, ICT, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), served as head of Technical Team; Mrs. Abimbola Oladunjoye, Asst. Director, Data Mgt., INEC Nigeria and Mr. Collins Onyemaobi, Database, INEC. 

According to the Report, the ECOWAS Technical Team met with only NEC officials including its Chairman, Jerome G. Korkoya, Commissioners Samuel Joe and Boakai Dukuly and Executive Director Lamin Lighe. The ECOWAS team also met with staff of the NEC data center, the Warehouse, a team of Elections Magistrates and the SMS Consultant. Experts said that this has serious implications given that NEC did not invite the relevant stakeholders to meet with the ECOWAS team. It is, however, not clear whether actions by NEC in inviting the ECOWAS team were prudent in the face of the current Supreme Court case regarding the elections. Read More

Aggrieved Party Wants NEC Annul Nimba County District #4 Election Result, Sources: FrontPage Africa and Daily OBSERVER

The media report that the National Elections Commission (NEC) has been asked to revoke the result from the just-ended representative election in Nimba County Electoral District #4 due to report of malpractice on the part of the election magistrate Princeton Monmia. The request was made Wednesday, 6 December 2017 during final argument into complaint of malpractice filed before the hearing officer of the National Election Commission (NEC) Cllr. Wonsealeah ahead of the election body ruling set for Monday, 11 December 2017 though the respondent lawyers have rejected and called for the dismissal of the complaint.

The call from the petitioner, Garrison Yealu, through his lawyer on Wednesday came from revelations made by Nimba County Election Magistrate Princeton Monmia that he was not the one who changed the election result from the district, rather it was NEC Chairman Korkoyah who altered the election result of the district in favor of a representative candidate Gunpue Kargon of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) headed by Nimba County Senator Prince Johnson. According to Monmia, at the end of voting in the district he discovered fraud in the process and informed the Commission about the fraud and was asked to scan the election result and send it to Monrovia, which he said he did through his deputy (name not disclosed).

In his final argument on behalf of his client, Cllr. Jallah Barbu argued that there was no other result from the district except the result posted in the district by Magistrate Monmia that declared incumbent lawmaker Garrison Yealu. Cllr. Barbu continued that the Nimba Election Magistrate has no right to change the venue of complaint emerging from district, adding the best place for the complaint to be adjudicated and determined was in Sanniquellie where the local headquarters is in the county. In his counter argument, Cllr. Cooper Kruah stated that the change of the election result by NEC from the district was not criminal in nature but rather an administrative decision taken by the Board of Commission of NEC. His argument was, however, rejected by Cllr. Barbu who said the change was intended to cheat the other party (Yealue) because the NEC election result from District # 4 on the website is quiet different from the one posted in the county.

According to incumbent lawmaker, he did win the representative seat of the district from the initial result posted by Magistrate Monmia, but the result was altered in favor of Representative-elect Gunpue. His lawyer claimed that the initial result recorded 25, 850 voters, while the final result showed 28, 855 voters. This, he as the result of the manipulation by the election magistrate.

Senator Weah Calls on Supporters to Fast, Pray For Court’s Final Verdict, Source: FrontPage Africa

Senator George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Wednesday, 6 December, called on his supporters to fast and pray as they await the final verdict from the Supreme Court. The nation’s highest court is expected later today to rule in the election dispute involving the Liberty Party and the Unity Party versus the National Elections Commission (NEC). Senator Weah made the request when his supporters turned out to welcome him back to the country following his recent visit in the West African region, this paper reports.

“All of you supporters of CDC, I want you to take a time with God. Whether you are a Muslim or Christian, I want you pray so the Lord can give us a favourable decision from the Supreme Court on 7 December 2027,” the CDC political leader said. Senator Weah received a rousing welcome from hundreds of supporters, who turned out to show their support and commitment to the CDC.

The CDC political leader boastfully told his partisans of how prepared the party is to campaign the same way it did in the first round when the Court shall have decided today. According to him if campaign is declared opened today, CDC is ready to campaign to the length and breadth of the country. “Whatever happens, we are prepared to let the world know that we are ready to go back to the polls to lead this country." "We are prepared to launch a vigorous campaign. We will double our efforts in the campaign for a second round victory. What we need is stability for our country so that the younger generation can achieve their dreams. We need new ideas,” he added.

Following the first round of the polls in October, several partisans of the Liberty Party (LP), the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), All Liberian Party (ALP), among others, have pledged support to the CDC. It seems these newcomers haven’t been welcomed by the diehard supporters of the party. Sensing this rejection, Senator Weah used the occasion to appeal to his strong supporters, to accept and work with them in order to make the party stronger and better. “Fellow citizens I want you to consider all of our members, who left us and have come back because they have realized that this is the only party that shows love and commitment for its members."

Meanwhile, Hardliners against CDC criticize the party of calling for change in leadership when bulk of their leaders are all former officials of the ruling Unity Party, which they (CDC) criticize of being corrupt and a group of failure. The like of former Speaker Alex Tyler accused in a Global Witness report for allegedly taking bribe to change the law, Rep. Moses Kollie, former Chairman of the Rules, Ways, Means and Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor, Vice Standard Bearer and some high level former members of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) of jailed Former President Charles Taylor are now all in the CDC.

Weah: ‘Our Democratic Rights Will Not Be Infringed Upon This Time Around’, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The political leader of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Senator George Weah, Wednesday released a caveat stating that his political organization will in no way sit down and see their democratic rights infringed upon. Making remarks at a welcome ceremony held in his honor at the CDC headquarters in Congo Town, Weah said for too long the Liberian people have suffered in the hands of the ruling Unity Party and this time is their time to lead. “Today we are here to tell the world that we are a peaceful party but our democratic rights will not be infringed on. No way in the history of this country again our rights will be taken away from us,” he noted.

Weah, who returned from an unspecified location said that his coalition is ready to go back to the polls but preferably in a runoff election so as to take the mantle of state from UP. “As the Supreme Court decides tomorrow, 7 December we want to vote for our leader that will take care of this country and move us from point A to point Z,” he said. “We have to double our campaign efforts so that when Vice President Nyumah Boakai is sitting in his living room on the day of results announcement he will know that Liberians are angry with him. I know he is general but the days of being general are over,” he said.

The CDC standard bearer said his party is trying to make Liberia a better country in which all will feel that they are a part of the development and its progress. “We are now trying to make this country a better country that everyone will come to develop. All we need is civility so children that want to be lawyers, children that want to be doctors and women that want to be nurses, businessmen and women can gain growth so they can take care of their generation,” he promised. He called on his supporters; mainly the Coalition’s agents at the polls during either a runoff or a rerun to be watchful and make sure the ballot boxes are protected against fraudulent acts. Read More

‘Weah Prepared To Lead’… CDC-USA Chairman, Source: The NEWS

According to this paper, A Kulubozumo Zakama, Jr., National Chairman of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), USA Chapter, has expressed confidence in the ability of Ambassador George Manneh Weah to lead the country to higher height. Chairman Zakama said the CDC political leader has what it takes to lead Liberia, adding that Weah is well prepared to lead. He believes that Liberia under the administration of the CDC government will give Liberians what they truly deserve.

According to him, Weah has and continues to help Liberians both at home and abroad, adding the CDC standard bearer has used his personal resources for the betterment of lives of Liberians. Mr. Zakama explained that CDC under the administration of Ambassador Weah will ensure that education is free from kindergarten to senior secondary level. “The absence of requisite skills amongst young people has been a serious problem in Liberia and the CDC has plans to effectuate the needed change of Liberia’s young age” Mr. Zakama stressed.

Commenting on the membership of the party’s USA chapter, he said members are spread out in 19 of the US 50 states. “Over 22 members of the party’s USA chapter participated in the voter’s registration and electioneering process this year.”

However, he noted that Liberians in the US have contributed positively to the growth of the country’s economy through huge remittances every year.

Medica Liberia Calls For Collaboration in Fight Against Sexual Violence, Source: FrontPage Africa

Medica Liberia, a local nongovernmental organization wants the media and religious community to join the fight in ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the educational sector of the country as it on Wednesday, 6 December officially launched its 16 Days of Activism under the theme: ‘Let’s embrace our diversities for safe education and a violent free society”.

The organization wants everyone to help fight against Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and GBV in the society mostly in schools, so as to make the society a better place for women and girls to live. According to the organization, the media and the religious Community play a key role in helping to end this inhumane act against women and girls in the Liberian society. Medica Liberia says violence against women and girls must be battled by the government and her numerous international partners by helping to address what it calls ‘devilish act’ carryout against women and girls.

The launching ceremony brought together over 200 community actors, health workers and students working with Medica Liberia in helping to end SGBV and GBV in the Country. Speaking at the Program, Bennedette Ketter, a core committee member who serves as keynote speaker called on men who are in the habit of beating on women to desist from such act. Madam Ketter said gender based violence against women and girls in any society takes away their rights to many things and at the same time cause them to lose their life. She added “no one must be left behind in the process; everyone together can end SGBV and GBV against women and girls in Liberia.” She reminded everyone that the 16 Days of Activism is celebrated across the world and it’s everybody’s business to fight and end SGBV and GBV in Liberia for the betterment of all. Read More

LCL Concludes Conflict Resolution, Peace Building Media Engagement, Source: FrontPage Africa

The Lutheran Church in Liberia Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Program (LCL-THRP) has concluded a day interactive Pre-runoff Election Conflict Resolution and peace building media engagement workshop in the country. The workshop, which was recently held office of the Lutheran Church in Liberia on 13th Street, Sinkor, brought together over 26 journalists from both the print and electronic media house in Liberia with support from the Church of Sweden.

Rev. Korboi M. Weegie, the Director of LCL-THRP expressed happiness that the media houses were able to attend the interactive pre-runoff election workshop stressing this was a good sign of Liberia’s growth and development. Notwithstanding, the Director also indicated that sometimes the media ways of reporting leaves negative effects on the country. He reinterited their role of the media, pointing out that maintaining Liberia’s peace and stability is paramount, and should never be underestimated by the church, society, and the government. Read More

Liberian Red Cross Donates to Prisoners at Monrovia Central Prison, Source: FrontPage Africa

This medium reports that the Liberia National Red Cross (LNRC) has donated several assorted items to authorities of the Monrovia Central Prison (MCP). The items, which were given to the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation (BCR), included 100 mats, bath soap, 100 blankets, laundry soap, chlorine and gloves.

Presenting the items to the MCP, LNRC’s Emergency Response officer Daniel K.D. Kossigbo said his organization received a communication from the Inspector General requesting for aid. “Three weeks ago, we received a communication from the LNP requesting us to donate some items to the MCP." "We decided to donate these items” He promised his organization’s fullest commitment to working with the BCR and the LNP. Receiving the items, Prison Superintendent Varney Lake lauded LNRC for identifying with the MCP and described the donation as significant. Supt. Lake promised that the items would be used for their intended purposes.

USD30M Road Fund for 2017/2018 National Budget Blocked, Source: FrontPage Africa

The Ministries of Finance & Development Planning and Public Works have written the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives to intervene in the unblocking of the National Road Fund and allowing the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) to function, use and collect USD30 million from petroleum importers to support the 2017/2018 National Budget. In order to contribute to the support of the budget, the IMSC set a USD0.25 (Twenty-five U.S. cents) road user charge on every gallon of petroleum product brought into the country – and the cumulative sum from these charges is projected to be USD30 million for 2017. Conventionally, the IMSC authorized the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to collect the fees on behalf of the fund, this paper reports.

Unfortunately, in an attempt to collect the charges from petroleum importers, Srimex Oil & Gas sought a stay on the action from the Supreme Court, arguing that the IMSC is acting in contravention of the law. Read More

NAYMOTE, Police Dialogued … To Curb Electoral Violence, Source: The NEWS

In a bid to curb violence during electioneering period in Liberia, the National Youth Movement for Transparent Election (NAYMOTE) has embarked on a dialogue with the Liberia National Police (LNP). With support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), the project intends to change violent mindsets and cultivate the spirit of peace throughout the electoral process, this paper reports.

During an anti-violence sensitization tour of the counties recently, the Project Coordinator NAYMOTE Keifala Kanneh said the project is tailored towards working along with the LNP in raising awareness about how to prevent electoral violence. The project, he furthered, focused on how prepared the police are to deal with emergency cases during the elections.

He said the project also targets interactions with community dwellers, as well as students, taking into account that the youth constitute about 65% of the country’s population.

Kanneh added that the campaign had made a significant effort in preventing elections violence throughout the fifteen counties with a zero case. This, he said speaks to the fact that NAYMOTE community-engagement strategies, coffee shops discussions and high schools visitations, have turned the tides of violence to the promotion of peace. “The message resonated well across the entire country through the people we met and interacted with during the project implementation,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

To Be or Not To Be: Runoff or Rerun? – Liberia Supreme Court Rules Thursday, Source: News Public Trust

Liberia’s Supreme Court is this Thursday expected to hand down its final ruling on claims by two political parties that the 10 October 2017 presidential and legislative elections were marred by massive fraud and irregularities. Liberians both at home and abroad are eagerly looking forward to the 7 December crucial ruling which is expected to end the weeks of political stalemate that have heightened tensions, which has positively not flared up into violence. “I’m preparing my suit to be at that Temple of Justice Thursday to see history being made,” remarked a young career woman in Monrovia on Wednesday.

The full bench of the Supreme Court is expected to take two key decisions in what is expected to be their landmark ruling. The five-member bench will either annul the first round ordering a rerun as being prayed for by Charles Brumskine’s Liberty Party (LP) and its political allies or order the holding of a runoff presidential election, something that was initially scheduled for 7 November. But the aborted runoff between the two frontrunners–Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP) was halted by the high court until the National Elections Commission (NEC) investigated the parties’ complaints.

That the country’s electoral body has since done, with the NEC’s Hearing Office dismissing the claims of fraud on grounds that the LP and UP lack sufficient evidence. That ruling was some two weeks ago upheld by NEC’s Board of Commissioners. Thursday’s ruling will come after the court last week heard the arguments of lawyers of the three sides in the elections dispute case: the LP, UP and NEC. Read More

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This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIL on the understanding that the choice of articles included is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIL.

 

 

 

 

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