Liberia: Senate Citizenship Requiremsent

opinion

This passionate, vibrant contest, apparently consistent with open, competitive, multi-party, pluralistic, political process raises serious questions, as it should and must, about the citizenship of these prominent, Liberian contestants for the Liberian Senate. These important questions arises not only that Liberian Law prohibits dual citizenship (Liberian citizen who is naturalized citizen, simultaneously, of a foreign country) in general, but also because Article 30 of the Liberian Constitution (1986), in specific terms, provides that only "Citizens of Liberia . . . are eligible to become members of the (National) Legislature"; that the Liberian nation professes and often quotes the maxim that "Liberia is a country of Laws, not of persons"; and that the questions call into question the willingness of and by Liberia and Liberians to respect and abide by law and commitments to which the Nation subscribes.

Cases in point are (1), that Mr. Robert Sirleaf, Businessperson, Philanthropist and son of the current, sitting President of the nation, has been and is accused of being citizen of the United States with an identified, numbered passport; while (2), Mr. George Weah, the Soccer Legend turned-politician and Political Leader of the political party, Congress for Democratic Change, was accused of being a French citizen during the 2005, general elections but the accusation was treated with "kid gloves" by the-then NEC, without an open, definitive resolution; now Mr. Weah is accused of being citizen of the United States with a posted, US passport with a photograph of Mr. Weah.

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