By: James Boyce
Representative Moses Acarous Gray of District #8, has made a U-turn to seek for re-election in 2023 after he repeatedly made public statements in the past that he will not seek for the third term when his tenure expires. Representative made his latest move known yesterday when he spoke on a live radio program conducted by a local radio host Clarence Jackson of the OK Morning Rush show held on Monday, February 28, 2022.
Speaking on the OK FM morning rush while making his intention known, Representative Gray said that the residents have come to tell him how they appreciated what he has done over the years and they are poised to renew the mandate he has enjoyed since he was elected in 2011 during the 2023 general election.
He noted that the voices of the masses have been heard and that his supporters will as well in every capacity make sure that President George Manneh Weah is re-elected for the next six (6) years come 2023 general elections.
During the course of the interaction, the host, Clarence Jackson read a post by Mr. Gray in which he spoke against the decision of the plenary of the House of Representatives to increase the registration fees for people seeking elective positions and criticized his colleagues especially when it came to female participation in politics where the registration fee will be a major challenge. He wrote, “For the records, I respectfully disagreed with the plenary of the House of Representative to have passed on the totality of the amended revised electoral law of Liberia”.
“That the fees for legislative registration are not just fair to mass participation but also is a direct quest for lack of political participation, thus bleeding the crises of political participation”.
According to Rep. Gray, while he supports the 30% of the participation of women for legislative seats, he also disagreed with the imposition on political parties instead of encouraging political parties to meet up with such a percentage.
He further that, he fears such passage and that it could lead to a constitutional defeat if challenged by dissatisfied parties, and he proposed to the house that instead of legislating that which according to him is unconstitutional, be submitted for a national referendum where the Liberian people will amend the constitution to enable women to have equal representation in both the Executive and Legislative.
According to Rep. Gray, in his quest to achieve the objective of the 30% proposal, there must be exclusive seats set aside for women to contest for political positions in both the Executive and Legislative and that men should not contest for such seats or positions.
He made reference to Rwanda, Uganda and Senegal as a classic example that the government and Legislature of Liberia could see and follow the same for the implementation of such a proposal.
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