-Advocates for constitutional amendment as Liberia observes International Day of the Girl Child
Former Culture Ambassador Juli Endee is calling on the national government to undertake a substantial revision of the Liberian Constitution, proposing a 60% alteration to improve electoral regulations in the interest of Liberian citizens during elections.
Ambassador Endee, who also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Crusaders for Peace, stated that a significant portion of the 1986 Constitution is no longer beneficial to the citizens of Liberia, necessitating changes to the electoral processes. She emphasized that certain provisions of the Constitution, particularly those affecting elections, require urgent review to better reflect the current needs and aspirations of the Liberian populace.
“The government of Liberia and national stakeholders must consider a comprehensive review and adjustment of the 1986 Constitution, which was amended in 2011, to address social and economic reforms and strengthen the consolidation of democracy and governance in our country,” she urged.
Ambassador Endee called for the support of President Joseph N. Boakai and the 55th National Legislature in championing this comprehensive review and reform initiative. She aims to draft a new constitutional document that addresses critical electoral issues.
In addition to constitutional reforms, she urged the government to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for electoral violence, intimidation, and the manipulation of electoral practices. This includes addressing incidents such as ballot box theft and illegal activities during general elections to prevent future misconduct.
“We recommend initiating a review process for constitutional reforms that encompass provisions related to presidential and legislative elections, including term limits and diaspora voting. This should be done well in advance of the 2029 electoral cycle,” she stated.
Ambassador Endee also urged the Liberian National Legislature to analyze the results of the 2022 National Census and establish new population data for the National Elections Commission (NEC) to use in defining electoral constituencies. This alignment with the 1986 Constitution, as amended in 2011, should be completed by the end of 2025 to mitigate the risk of political interference during elections.
Furthermore, she advocates for the 55th National Legislature to promote the rights of women and persons with disabilities to participate more fully in the electoral process by adopting policies that ensure reserved seats for greater gender equity and social inclusion.
“We appreciate the efforts of the National Elections Commission, but we recommend a review of the electoral framework and internal regulations to identify areas for improvement in general party administration and management,” she added.
Ambassador Endee also encouraged the National Elections Commission to enhance the capacity of political parties and independent candidates through targeted training on key electoral procedures, including voter registration, candidate nomination, campaign financing, and complaint filing.
“We advocate for increased civic and voter education to boost participation, especially among marginalized groups such as women, youth, persons living with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and the uneducated,” she said.
Additionally, she called for further quantitative and qualitative research on the issues surrounding valid balloting to improve voting accuracy and deter electoral manipulation.
Speaking at the Liberia Elections Observation Network’s Electoral Cycle Observation Report for the 2023 presidential and legislative elections, Ambassador Endee urged the 55th Legislature, the National Elections Commission, and the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services to initiate the establishment of new legislative electoral districts based on the 2022 national census results, in compliance with the 1986 Constitution and its 2011 amendments.
She also called on the 55th National Legislature to clarify the status of the 2023 Electoral Reform Bill, emphasizing the need for improvements to ensure that vetoed provisions are revisited and adequately addressed.
