With the April 22 Nimba County Senatorial By-election drawing near, the National Elections Commission (NEC) says it is fully equipped to conduct a smooth and transparent process, thanks to early government funding and support from international partners.
Security forces have already been deployed to the county ahead of the vote, with the Liberia National Police (LNP) taking the lead during the ongoing campaign period, which runs through April 19. The Government of Liberia has allocated US$225,000 specifically for election security operations. Meanwhile, NEC has received US$2 million for the overall management of the poll and confirmed that ballot materials arrived in the country on April 7.
Speaking at a recent High-Level Partners’ Meeting in Monrovia, NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah detailed the Commission’s preparedness, including voter education efforts in collaboration with local communities. According to her, messages are being distributed across Nimba in English and four local languages: Gio, Mano, Mandingo, and Krahn, to ensure every eligible voter is informed and engaged.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the United Nations, ECOWAS, and various civil society organizations. UN Resident Coordinator Christine Umutoni and ECOWAS Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah co-chaired the session. Both officials encouraged the NEC to maintain transparency and effective communication to strengthen public trust in the electoral process. They also reminded political parties, through the Inter-Party Consultative Committee (IPCC), of their commitment to the Farmington Declaration, a pledge to uphold peaceful and democratic standards.
Support for the by-election includes technical and logistical contributions from UNDP, UN Women, Internews, the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON), Local Voices Liberia (LVL), and the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP).
The High-Level Meeting, jointly organized by the Ministry of Justice, NEC, and international donors including the European Union, Irish Aid, and the Swedish Government, served as a platform for information sharing and coordination among stakeholders committed to a credible and peaceful election.
