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Liberian Senate Restricts Legislators Ambition to Contest By-Election

Monrovia,Liberia: The Liberian Senate has voted to pass a bill to prohibit any sitting lawmaker from contesting in a given by-election.

 

By Wholwuoi Yeahgar-www.ywholquoi@gmail.com

 

The bill which was proffered by Grand Cape Mount County Senator, Varney Sherman mandates any sitting lawmaker to resign his/her post before contesting in the any by-election.

The Bill received majority vote even though there were some lawmakers, who had a reservation on how its wordings were been coined. The motion that facilitated the bill was filed by Senator Milton Teahjay of Sinoe County on Tuesday.

Part of that motion is for the law once concurred upon by the House of Representatives and signed by the President to be sent to the National Elections Commission (NEC) to be enshrined into the country’s elections laws to strengthen existing elections law.

The law will also call for sitting lawmakers to resign their positions in the Senate or House of Representatives if they desire to contest for a vacant position in by-elections.

According to Senator Sherman, is that it will save the government some money that it should have spent on unnecessary by-elections. He believed the act by some lawmakers, who have tenure positions and want to contest in by-elections is too much of economic burden on the government that is struggling to achieve its challenge of obtaining a huge wage bill and carries out social and infrastructure development.

“This is a waste of money; these lawmakers who get elected and a few months later want to contest for other vacant positions in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.

After the motion, two supporting amendments were added to the existing bill sent to the lower House for concurrence by Nimba and Margibi County Senators, Thomas Grupe and Jim Tornolah.

Senator Grupe indicated that any sitting lawmaker wanting to contest must resign his/her post while Senator Tornolah wants the instrument be embedded in the electoral law and the code of conduct.

Like Grupee Senator Peter Coleman of Grand Kru County, described the eligibility of sitting lawmakers to participate in a by-election as critical.

“Our international partners don’t have money to waste that every time we want election they will fund it and also help with basic social services. This law is timely and will save money for other activities such as health care, infrastructure and other development.

“It is important that our partners take us seriously we cannot be making request for money to fund by-election for people already in the Legislature; it will save us unnecessary expenditure.”

Unlike his colleagues, Senator Gble-gbo Brown of Maryland County warned that while it is a good thing to reduce cost on the state, they should be mindful of not violating provisions of the Constitution, which provides for the rights of all citizens qualified to contest.

“Given the experience of the Code of Conduct, I am wondering whether the Legislature can pass a law that would restrict fundamental rights in our Constitution. I am worried whether this law if passed can stand the test of time as was seen with the Code that was challenged by citizens and it was defeated.

“I know this law sounds good but we are not here to pass laws that sound good but in line with our Constitution. If we hastily pass this law, it could be challenged in court in the future. I think we need more consultations,” the Maryland County Senator warned his colleagues.

Meanwhile, River Cess County Senator, Francis Paye during the heated debate expressed his lack of support to the bill proffered by the senator.

According to him, such bill will violate the right of a sitting lawmaker who wants to contest in a by-election.

He however expressed optimism that the bill will not be concurred by the House of Representatives.

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