Former Zambia VP heads election mission to Liberia 

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Zambia’s former Vice President Dr. Nevers Mumba through the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa International Elections Observer Mission (EISA-IEOM) has led 32 election observers from 20 African countries in Liberia. 

The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa. 

The USAID-funded EISA International Elections Observation Mission EISA-IEOM Activity seeks to enhance the integrity of the 2023 presidential and legislative elections in Liberia through the deployment of an independent international election observer mission (EOM).

The Mission is to monitor, assess, and report on all phases of the electoral process by International and Regional benchmarks. 

Additionally, the IEOM is implemented in close coordination with the financial support of USAID-Liberia and will complement the efforts of other electoral stakeholders. 

Also, the objective and purpose of EISA observers in Liberia are to observe the final days of political campaigning, the final deployment of sensitive and non-sensitive election material, the voting day procedure, and the result tallying process. 

However, EISA’s assessment of the elections in Liberia is consistent with the legal framework in the country and international standards for elections and democracy. 

Moreover, these frameworks include the constitution of Liberia, the elections law of Liberia, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and the Declaration on the Principals governing Democratic Elections in Africa. 

Consequently, after the conduct of the October 10 pools, the EISA International Elections Observation Mission will issue a preliminary statement on its findings at a press conference on October 12, 2023. 

Making the disclosure Friday, October 6, 2023, in an arrival statement at a local hotel in Monrovia, Liberia, Dr. Mumba said that EISA-IEOM is in the country to monitor the October 10 presidential and legislative elections to ensure transparency and accountability. 

“The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa International Elections Observation Mission EISA-IEOM announces the arrival of 20 short-term observers (STOs).”

“The mission is headed by His Excellency Dr. Nevers Mumba, former Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, and deputized by EISA Executive Director, Mr. Baidessou Soukolgue and supported by a technical team,” he stated. 

Accordingly, Dr. Mumba noted that the 20 STOs bring a total of 32 observers from 20 African countries deployed to the 2023 elections in Liberia. 

He also disclosed that initially, EISA deployed 12 long and medium-term observers (LTO/MTOs) in April and July 2023 respectively to observe the early stages of the elections. 

Dr. Mumba narrated that the short-term mission would remain in Monrovia until 15 October with its secretariat at the Cape Hotel, Monrovia.

He added that they have followed the ongoing political campaigns in eleven of Liberia’s fifteen counties, namely Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Montserrado, Margibi, Lofa, Nimba, Maryland, and River Gee county.