The West African Network For Peacebuilding has called on the Liberian National Elections Commission (NEC) to continue to display a high level of professionalism and remain sensitive in the timely releasing of officials’ results immediately at the close of electoral polls.
By diligently and urgently working on ensuring the timely and transparent release of results, the defusion of any potential tension that may arise within such period will be terminated.
The mission through its spokesperson Matthew Giah, emphasized the need for adequate lighting systems including solar lights or lamps, especially during voting, counting, and tallying where needed.
According to the observer network, since the conclusion of the first round of the election, the political context has been fluid with political violence in hotspot counties
The WANEP-Liberia National Early Warning System (NEWS) from October 11 to November 10, 2023, recorded 23 incidents of violence and political tension across the country citing parts of Nimba, Lofa, Montserrado, and Grand Cape Mount Counties among rival party supporters.
“These incidents undermine the peaceful atmosphere applauded by
the international community in the first round of the electoral process and the entire security situation in Liberia”, WANEP.
He expressed its continuing commitment to closely monitor the concluding phases of the electoral process, (Presidential Run-off), particularly the deployment of observers at potential hotspots across the seventy-three electoral districts in the country.
The mission at the same time commended Liberians for the sense of patriotism they exhibited during the first phase of the election and hoped for the same maturity to be displayed while awaiting the official announcement of the results by the Liberia National Elections Commission.
A total of One hundred and thirty-three (133) local observers, out of which twenty (20) were Long
Term Conflict Monitors have been deployed in seventy-three (73) prioritized low, medium
to high-risk areas across thirty-eight (38) districts in nine (9) Counties including Montserrado, Lofa, Grand Gedeh, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Nimba, and Margibi.
According to him, the observers will utilize structured checklists to report real-time data on incidents to the situation room regularly.
WANEP is in partnership with the Office of the Special Representative of the President of
the ECOWAS Commission in Liberia and the Peace Building Office (PBO) operating at ESR at Bella Casa Hotel in Liberia’s capital Monrovia.
The group is expected to monitor, analyze, report, and facilitate responses to violent threats to the peaceful conduct of the November 14, 2023, Presidential Run-off election.
