By Moses M. Tokpah|Margibi contributor
With barely two and a half months to the December 8, 2020 midterm Senatorial election and referendum, several Margibians are calling for the cancellation of the upcoming referendum.
Speaking on a local radio show “the Diaspora Liberian Special” on Radio Margibi FM 103.7 recently said the timing of the referendum is short.
According to them, there has not been a single Town Hall meeting conducted by the Government of Liberia regarding the process, as such they do not know what they are going to vote for.
The citizens argued that it is not clear if the dual citizenship proposition is only restricted to, Liberians or it covers non-Liberians.
The Margibians feared that if foreign nationals were given dual citizenship status, they would take over the Country and claim their lands.
“The time for the Referendum is short, there has not been any Town Hall meeting or awareness on the referendum so what are we going to vote for, so we are calling on the government not to conduct the referendum on December 8th” the citizens lamented.
Additionally, the citizens are calling for the removal of the clause that is restricting Liberians who may have dual citizenship status from occupying key appointed and elected positions in the Country.
They claimed that Liberians in the Diaspora are making significant contributions to the growth and development of the Country.
The citizens argued that denying Diaspora Liberians the opportunity to occupy key positions in the Country would keep it underdeveloped on grounds they will hold back their investment plans.
The document is quoted as saying “a natural-born citizen of Liberia may hold the citizenship of another country but shall not qualify for elected positions and the following appointed positions: Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia; Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers; all heads of Autonomous Commissions, Agencies and Non-Academic and Research Scientific Institutions and Ambassadors,” the Senate’s version” something the citizens are in disagreement with.
Liberia is expected to conduct both senatorial mid-term election and national referendum on some clauses in the constitution of Liberia but experts say the timing is not favor because there has been no awareness about the referendum during the election date.
