Monrovia — The Civil Society Organization (CSO) Network for Human Rights, Democracy & Peacebuilding in Liberia (CNHRDP-L) has officially declared the October 10th Presidential and Legislative Elections as free, fair, credible, and transparent, despite some minor challenges noted by their election observers.
On October 9th, 2023, CNHRDP-L deployed more than 200 election observers to oversee the electoral process in four major voter-rich counties, including Montserrado, Margibi, Bong, and Nimba. These dedicated observers closely monitored several key activities, such as the punctual commencement of voting, the presence of poll watchers representing independent candidates and political parties at various polling stations, transparency in the voting process, the closing of the polls, the ballot counting process, and the timely posting of results on bulletin boards.
Additionally, CNHRDP-L kept a watchful eye on the presence of police and joint security personnel, election-related violence, and the announcement of results throughout the election process.
CNHRDP-L's election observers covered over 1,950 polling places across the four counties. They concluded that, despite some minor setbacks, including delays in the start of voting in certain areas, the absence of political party representatives in some locations, and challenges with lighting, the National Elections Commission (NEC) had conducted the elections transparently, credibly, and fairly. They also commended the prompt response of joint security personnel in managing isolated violence situations.
The CNHRDP-L expressed its appreciation to the Liberian citizens who turned out in large numbers to fulfill their civic duties and demonstrate their love for their country. The organization also praised the NEC for its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and transparent election, even in the face of significant logistical and environmental challenges.
At the same time, CNHRDP-L issued a call to all political parties, independent candidates, and other stakeholders to refrain from prematurely announcing election results. According to CNHRDP-L, only the NEC, as mandated by the Constitution of Liberia, has the authority to officially declare election results. Prematurely announcing self-results was deemed undemocratic and potentially detrimental to the nation's peace and stability.
Furthermore, CNHRDP-L issued a caution to the Election Coordination Committee (ECC) and other Civil Society Organization networks currently engaged in election observation. The organization emphasized the importance of remaining neutral, patriotic, and non-partisan during this critical period of the election process. CNHRDP-L highlighted concerns about the ECC's widely publicized dismissal of one of its data clerks, citing the potential dangers to the individual due to his affiliation with the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
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CNHRDP-L expressed the view that such dismissals should be handled discreetly, especially in a society prone to political violence, where individuals may face harm due to their political associations.
CNHRDP-L assured the public of its commitment to continuing its engagement with all aspects of the presidential and legislative electoral process, with the primary goal of ensuring that Liberia remains peaceful during and after the 2023 elections.
The CSO Network for Human Rights, Democracy & Peacebuilding in Liberia (CNHRDP-L) is a collaboration of five major Civil Society Organizations, including The Youth Against Drugs and Substance Abuse in Liberia - YADASA-Liberia, the Humble Youth - HYI, the Regional Watch for Human Rights Watch - RWHR, the Peace Building Resource Center - PBRC, and the Cooperative Initiatives for Peace and Development - CIPAD. These organizations are dedicated to promoting human rights, democratic governance, and sustainable peace in Liberia, and their members are renowned human rights and peacebuilding activists with a history of working to advance these causes in their communities and organizations.
