By G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The former Vice President of the Republic of Zambia Dr. Nevers Mumba through the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa International Elections Observer Mission (EISA-IEOM) leads 32 elections observers from twenty (20) African countries to monitor and report on electoral integrity inLiberia.
The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.
The USAID-funded EISA International Elections Observation Mission EISA-IEOM Activity seeks to enhance the integrity of the 2023 Presidential and legislative elections in Liberia through the deployment of an independent international election observer mission (EOM) to monitor, assess and report on all phases of the electoral process in accordance with International and Regional benchmarks.
Additionally, the IEOM is implemented in close coordination with the financial support of USAID-Liberia and will be complement efforts of others electoral stakeholders.
Also, objective and purpose of EISA observers to Liberia are to observe the final days of political campaigning, final deployment of sensitive and non-sensitive elections materials, voting day procedure and the results tallying process.
EISA’s assessment of the elections in Liberia is consistent with the legal framework in the country and international standard for elections and democracy.
Moreover, these frameworks include the constitution of Liberia, elections law of Liberia, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and governance, and the Declaration on the Principals governing Democratic Elections in Africa.
Consequently, after the conduct of the October 10 pools, EISA International Elections Observation Mission will issue a preliminary statement on its findings at a press conference on October 12, 2023.
Making the disclosure Friday, October 6, 2023, in an arrival statement at a local hotel in Monrovia, Liberia, Dr. Mumba said that EISA-IEOM is in country to monitor the October 10 Presidential and legislative elections to ensure transparency and accountability.
“The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa International Elections Observation Mission EISA-IEOM announces the arrival of 20 short-term observers (STOs) . The mission is headed by His Excellency Dr. Nevers Mumba, former Vice President of the Republic of Zambia and deputized by EISA Executive Director, Mr. Baidessou Soukolgue and supported by a technical team,” he stated.
Accordingly, Dr. Mumba asserted that the 20 STOs bring a total of 32 observers from 20 African countries deployed to the 2023 elections in Liberia.
He also disclosed that initially, EISA deployed 12 long and medium-term observers (LTO/MTOs) in April and July 2023, respectively to observer the early stages of the elections.
Dr. Mumba narrated that the short-term mission will remain in Monrovia until 15 October with its secretariat at the Cape Hotel, Monrovia.
Interestingly, Dr. Mumba pointed out, that EISA-IEOM has been in Liberia since January 2023, observing various aspects of the elections, including the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise, provisional voters roll exhibition, candidate nomination process.
He adds that they have also followed the ongoing political campaigns in eleven of Liberia fifteen Counties, namely: Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Montserrado, Margibi, Lofa , Nimba, Maryland and River Gee county.
