Africa-Press – Liberia. With the three-year mandate of elected officials of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) elapsing this month, a new corpse of leadership is expected to be elected at its General Assembly (GA).
Held after every three years, the GA is the highest decision making body of the CSO Council – the umbrella organization of all civil society organizations in the country.
This year’s GA will run from the 17th to the 20th of December in Sinje, Grand Cape Mount County, with elections being held for different positions on the climaxing date (December 20, 2025).
As gathered by this paper, the current Chairperson of the Council, Madam Loretta Alethea Pope-Kai will not be going for re-election in respect to the by-laws and constitution of the NCSCL after serving a two-term mandate of three years each.
Madam Pope-Kai’s decision not to seek re-election is aimed at safeguarding the Council’s by-laws and constitution, which prohibits the Chairperson from seeking a third term after the expiration of the second and final term.
The outgoing CSO Council Chairperson, known for her strong advocacies for civil society inclusion and human rights, media freedom, and grassroots empowerment, has endeavored to peacefully transition the Council to a new leadership having successful served well.
This means that the Chairperson position of the Council will be contested by new faces on elections day.
There are also vacancies for the positions of Co-Chair, Member-At-Large (two slots), Regional Coordinators (five slots) and Treasurer at the GA.
Accordingly, delegates duly accredited by the NCSCL to attend the GA will be eligible to participate and vote into elections.
At the same time, NCSCL has announced stringent eligibility and accreditation requirements for organizations and individuals seeking to participate in its 2025 GA, including those vying for leadership positions and accredited delegates.
According to guidelines released by the Council’s Ad-hoc Electoral Committee (AEC), organizations that fail to meet accreditation and operational standards will be disqualified from full participation in the GA.
The Council points out that any delegate representing an organization not fully accredited, inactive over the past two years (2023 and 2024), unregistered, or lacking a physical office will be denied voting rights or barred from participation.
The rules further state that organizations must be verifiable within their county of domicile and demonstrate visible public activities. Groups that cannot be located or recognized in their counties, or whose operations are not publicly evident, risk disqualification.
For Category “A,” leadership positions for Chair and Co-chair: The electoral committee is demanding that aspirants must meet high academic, professional, and institutional standards.
The Committee maintains that applicants are required to possess a master’s degree or provide proof of enrollment in a master’s program, with documentation submitted to the AEC no later than December 16, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
Additionally, it furthers that candidates must have been fully registered, active, and contributing members of the Council for at least three consecutive years, including 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Also, it states that aspirants must also have served as Executive Directors or officers of their organizations for a minimum of five years and submit a letter of support signed by all members of their board of directors to authenticate their leadership status.
The Council through the committee has also outlined non-refundable registration fees for all aspirants, including US$200 for Chair, US$150 for Co-chair, US$125 for Treasurer, US$100 for Regional Coordinators, and US$100 for Members-at-Large.
To ensure organizational legitimacy, AEC recommends that applicants must submit photographs of their office locations within their counties, copies of their 2024 annual reports signed by the Executive Director, and letters of support from their organizations detailing rank, leadership experience, and years of service.
Within the Committee’s guidelines, candidates are also required to present two reference letters from religious and community leaders attesting to their collaborative and peaceful leadership roles.
Under the GA guidelines, each accredited organization will be allowed to send two delegates, both aged 18 and above, and in furtherance, organizations must be financially compliant and free of dues with the NCSCL to qualify. Delegates seeking to vote or contest positions must present valid organizational ID cards to receive ballot papers.
The Council has instructed organizations across all 15 counties to verify their status and settle financial obligations through their respective County Coordinators at least one week before the GA begins. A complete list of qualified delegates will be published three days prior to the Assembly.
It notes that only accredited delegates will be permitted entry into the voting hall on Saturday, December 20, 2025.
The AEC warned that organizations failing to provide proof of good standing may attend plenary sessions but will not be allowed to vote or be voted for, adding that names and photographs of all qualified candidates will be published and announced on the first day of the GA via the Council’s official platforms.
“Applications must be submitted by email or hand-delivered to the AEC Secretariat on VP Road, Old Road. The deadline for submission is December 17, 2025. Late applications, the Council cautioned, will be automatically disqualified,” added the guidelines.
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