By Calvin Quays|LPR News, Monrovia
The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) has called on Liberian Government to close the border between Liberia and Sierra Leone to prevent the alleged trucking of Leoneans to register into Liberia for the pending senatorial elections in the second week of the process.
According to the ECC Executive Director Oscar Bloh, the closure of the border will minimize the ongoing tension surrounding the allegations of Sierra Leoneans being trucked into country for the Voter Registration Update (VRU).
Director Bloh made the calls Friday September 19, 2020 at a Press Conference as the ECC observes that the first week VRU has been characterized by a branch in the New Elections Law which has created the environment for the occurrence of electoral violence notably in Cape Mount and Bomi counties and heightened unnecessary political tension in the nation.
He noted that the overall reports from ECC observers show that the VRU has commenced across the entire country, but the process did not start simultaneously on September11, 2020 in all the 73 electoral districts namely, Maryland, Sinoe Grand Kru, Rivergee, Districts 6 and 9 in Nimba and District 5, Montserrado County
the ECC has meanwhile condemned the trucking of voters and wished to inform the public that these actions contravene section 10.1 a of the New Elections Law which prohibits the trucking of voters and practice constitutes an electoral offense and is punishable by fine or imprisonment for not more than six months or both.
Director Bloh pointed out that the ECC notes that the trucking of voters, which goes with financial benefit and other forms of financial inducement to mobilize support and calculated attempts by politicians to unduly, influence the outcome of the results of the December 8, 2020 elections.
He noted that these practices amount to the commercialization of Liberia’s fragile democracy and undermine the principles of electoral integrity, credibility and legitimate representation of citizens at the National Legislature.
Bloh wants that security agencies should be on the alert and to ensure that all individuals arrested for violent actions during the VRU are held to account in keeping with due process of law, noting that this will instill deterrence and reduce impunity.
