Monrovia – The Liberian Senate is poised to revisit discussions on constitutional amendments following a formal proposal from Grand Kru County Senator Albert Tugbe Chie. In a letter addressed to Senate President Pro-tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, Senator Chie urged a review and re-submission of eight constitutional amendments for consideration in a national referendum.
The amendments were initially presented during the December 8, 2020, referendum but failed to secure the required two-thirds majority vote mandated by Article 91 of the 1986 Constitution, despite garnering majority approval from voters.
Senator Chie emphasized the importance of revisiting these amendments, suggesting necessary adjustments to align with constitutional guidelines. He identified eight provisions for reconsideration:
- Dual Citizenship: Amend Article 28 to affirm the inalienability of Liberian citizenship for natural-born citizens.
- Senatorial Term Reduction: Amend Article 45 to reduce Senators’ terms from nine to seven years.
- Senate Leadership Terms: Amend Article 47 to elect Senate leadership for a five-year term.
- House of Representatives Term Reduction: Amend Article 48 to shorten Representatives’ terms from six to five years.
- House Leadership Terms: Amend Article 49 to set a five-year term for House leadership positions.
- Presidential Term Reduction: Amend Article 50 to reduce the President’s term from six to five years.
- Election Date Adjustment: Amend Article 83(a) to shift general election dates from October’s second Tuesday to November’s second Tuesday.
- Election Dispute Resolution Timeline: Amend Article 83(c) to cut the timeline for resolving election disputes from 30 to 15 days.
In his communication, Senator Chie also stated the need for comprehensive voter education and adequate funding to facilitate the referendum process.
Chie: “Madam President Pro-tempore and Distinguished Colleagues: I request that Plenary review the proposed amendments indicated above, make the relevant adjustments, including reduction and addition, and begin the process, in line with Article 91 of the Constitution, towards a national referendum.
“It is also my prayer to Plenary to ensure that an adequate and well-funded
preparatory process is put in place, such as extensive and in-depth voters education,
prior to the resulting national referendum.”
The Senate is expected to deliberate on the proposal in the coming weeks, aiming to restart the amendment process and engage citizens in a renewed referendum effort.
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