The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Liberia), in partnership with the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) and the Liberia Election Observation Network (LEON), has officially launched a joint observation mission for the upcoming Nimba County Senatorial By-election, scheduled for 2025.
This important initiative is supported by the European Union (EU) under the “Elections Violence Monitoring, Analysis and Mitigation” (E-MAM) project, aimed at enhancing public confidence in Liberia’s electoral process and curbing potential electoral violence.
The E-MAM project, valued at 57,725 euros, commenced on April 2 and will run through May 15, 2025, strategically focusing on reducing electoral violence by empowering citizen observation and strengthening the nation’s capacity for preventing electoral conflicts.
The collaborative effort includes three primary objectives:
- Conducting an independent assessment of the Nimba Senatorial By-election through a trained team of domestic election observers.
- Building public confidence and mitigating risks associated with electoral violence via pre-election dialogues with stakeholders.
- Engaging the public to reduce voter apathy while providing consistent updates on the election process.
To ensure comprehensive monitoring during the campaign period, the initiative will deploy 13 Long Term Observers (LTOs), consisting of four County Coordinators and nine Electoral District Supervisors. On Election Day, 88 Short Term Observers (STOs) will be strategically placed across polling stations to monitor activities and report in real-time.
As part of the initiative, a Joint Election Data Center will be established to facilitate the observation process. Utilizing the Kobo Collect Database Management System, this center will gather live updates from observers, analyze the data, and disseminate timely public reports through the organizations’ websites and social media channels.
WANEP, ECC, and LEON have committed to observing not only the Election Day proceedings but also the subsequent tallying of results and the resolution of any electoral disputes. Their findings will be consolidated into a comprehensive election observation report, which will play a critical role in Liberia’s ongoing electoral reform efforts.
Additionally, the organizations will host consultations with stakeholders based on their observations, aimed at informing policy recommendations and reforms to strengthen democracy in Liberia.
Expressing appreciation for the EU’s continuous support, WANEP, ECC, and LEON highlighted the significance of the E-MAM project in consolidating Liberia’s democratic gains and promoting peaceful, credible, and inclusive elections.
