The outgoing Liberian Senate Pro Tempore said that while there were some flaws in the December 20 special senatorial election, Liberians must respect and improve on their electoral process. Senator Gbehzongar Findley of Grand Bassa County lost his seat to Jonathan Kaipay of the opposition Liberty Party. Elections Commission Chair Jerome Korkoya announced the final results Saturday. It appears the ruling Unity Party will have won seven or eight Senate seats when the legislative body reconvenes next month.
Findley said that with no party in the majority, whoever becomes the new Senate Pro Tempore will have to learn to build consensus in order to get legislation passed.
He said some of the irregularities that took place on Election Day in his province and other parts of the country included ballot buying. “We feel strongly that the Elections Commission needs to look at the process again, perhaps move to electronic voting so that people don’t go about trying to buy ballot papers [and] stuffing the ballot boxes, and let the people express their true feelings in the process,” he said.
Full Article: Liberia’s Outgoing Senate Leader Sees Need for Electoral Reform – Sierra Leone Times.
