-Cummings lists gender equality, others, as conditions for CPP support
Following the disclosure of the schedule for the conduct of the runoff election- both the ruling CDC and the former ruling UP have proffered their interest in the support of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), but this has controversially been met with multiplicity of conditions, which the Collaboration’s Political Leader sees as intrinsic issues that must be addressed.
At a recent news conference in Monrovia, Cummings aptly pointed out gender equality, says the both parties must commit themselves to prioritize the passage of the minimum 30% law for women participation if they are elected.
“We must prioritize the passage of the minimum 30% law for women participation and membership in the legislature. We must also seek the appointment of women to the cabinet, with a view to achieving at least 40% inclusion of women in the cabinet.”
The new election law
Section 4.5 (1c) of the New Elections Law mandates Political parties to submit not less than 30% of either gender for their candidates’ listing to NEC.
The amendments in question sought to make 30% of gender representation mandatory. It would have empowered the National Elections Commission (NEC) to fine or delist any political parties that failed to adhere to the gender quotas.
The Gender quota clause, which is a special legislative measure to redress the historical marginalization of women from political life, comes as women struggle to gain equal representation in the legislature.
Amongst the many other conditions, Cummings listed the establishment of a National Youth Service Program to address improving social cohesion, empowerment, employability and civic duties, commitment to provide preferential loans and business development support programs to Liberian entrepreneurs, especially for women and youth.
Others among the 12 conditions also include commitment to undertake a review of the Liberian Constitution with a view toward strengthening democratic governance and the unity of the Liberian people, to reform the judiciary where Cummings said there must be an improvement to access and affordability to justice, seek a review of lengthy litigations merely on procedural grounds, establish a claims court, and take steps to improve and strengthen the independence of the judiciary, as well as the capacity of investigatory agencies and the commitment to decentralize public administration, stressing, “we will not sustainably develop Liberia until we ensure the provision of basic service delivery to Liberians across the country, commitment to continuous audits with a view toward implementing recommendations therein as well as the strengthening of internal audit systems across ministries, agencies and public institutions, enforcing the declaration of assets, and auditing the legislature.
More of the conditions according to Cummings are commitment to simplify the tax code and rules and regulations for establishing businesses to make it business-friendly and accommodating to Liberian entrepreneurship, to end drug peddling and trafficking, insisting that nothing is threatening Liberia’s future more than the drug epidemic, to commit to electoral reform to avoid the repeat of electoral fraud and to commit to religious tolerance to ensure an inclusive Liberia.
The CPP Political Leader says a committee of five persons to be headed by his running mate Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine which also included a Vice Chair of the Liberty Party, two leaders of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the head of the CPP Campaign team was set up to engage in meaningful discussions with the 2 parties going into the runoff to inform the final decision of the party who to endorse. Though the duration of their assignment was not mentioned, Cummings, however said the anticipated discussions are important to the CPP.
“These discussions are very important to us. We promised the Liberian people that we would work to change the system to the benefit of all Liberians. Although the announced results, which we are investigating, do not give us the power to directly drive the real change agenda, we know that without commitments to systemic change in how we have repeatedly governed ourselves, we would simply play musical chairs with leaders, only to keep doing the same things over and over without any improvement in the lives of our people, or how we should be managing ourselves. We refuse to be a partner in keeping our people poor, our nation divided, and our governing system corrupt”, he said.
Some Liberians have examine e possibilities of the conditions being implemented if any of the two suitors gets to the Presidency because there could not be any legally binding arrangement that will force the government of the day to implement the conditions at all cost.
Also at the news conference Wednesday, Cummings who was one of those tipped to have gone all the way to the second round given the level of engagement with the citizens over the years, said on all these journeys meeting Liberians from various background and locations, there is a general story of backwardness that has fallen the countries over the years and the only way forward was to have a change in what has been in use to a new system that will ensure real change.
“We have heard the stories of repeated government’s neglect, corruption, and wastefulness. We saw the heartbreaking results of dangerous drugs, rising crime, increasing poverty, broken down schools, neglected hospitals and a crooked national value system. We continue to import what we could grow and continue to see the deplorable conditions of our roads, from Lofa to the Southeast. We know the next 6 years are critical, for which we must decide well, and in the best interests of the Liberian people. We are therefore determined that the elections this year must reflect the true will of the people”, he said.
He adds- “we have written the National Elections Commission (NEC) asking that the ballot papers be preserved for forensic examination.” “This is a part of our promised investigation to understand and expose what actually happened on October 10. It is important that we do this to protect and preserve the integrity of our elections and the health of our cherished democracy. At least two political parties, through their presidential candidates, have agreed to join us in this important undertaking for our country”.
“In summary, we want our change agenda to drive our decision. We, therefore, request that the parties who seek our support in the 2nd round of elections commit to our vision for a better Liberia and our agenda for real change and to sign with Liberia that will commit them to fundamentally changing politics as usual for the benefit of all Liberians.” Cummings concluded.
