By: Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh
Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of the Liberty Party (LP) is the new pro-tempro of the Liberian Senate. Lawrence became the second woman to hold the highest position in the Senate after the formation of that West African nation in 1847. Now she holds the fifth highest position in the Liberian government.
It has been more than two decades since Liberia had its first female Pro-tempro (Grace Minor). In 2002, Minor was appointed by the government of former president Charles Taylor following the death of then-senate Pro-Tempore Keikura B. Kpoto. According to analysts, Grace Minor, who was close to Taylor, was hand-picked and not a competitive selection.
Nyonblee Lawrence has been elected twice to the Liberian Senate. She is considered to be one of the most powerful female politicians in the country.
On Monday, the Liberian politician won the non-contested Senate pro-tempro election, and she was praised as being the right candidate with the necessary experience to lead the 30-member chamber.
Lawrence committed Monday to carry out her duties and responsibilities impartially for the overall benefit of the country in her acceptance speech.
“I pledge to discharge my duties with profound dedication, impartiality with a deep sense of respect for every senator in respective of their political connection. As I embark upon this important role, it is crucial to establish clear plans of action for my first one hundred days in office.
The newly elected Senate Protempro committed to being an example of transparency and accountability by declaring her assets by Liberia’s code of conduct and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission’s regulations, which require public officials to declare their assets upon entering and leaving public office.
“To live by example, I hereby inform you that I will declare my assets and my benefits, I encourage you fellow senators to do the same,” Lawrence said.
Only three out of 30 senators in the 55th Liberian Senate are women. Furthermore, Nyonblee Lawrence describes her election as one that serves as a motivation for women in Liberia and throughout Africa.
“This accomplishment is not only an accomplishment for me in particular but for the women of Liberia and the region,” she said. She continued “I am much honored to be the first in a male-dominated senate of 27 powerful and influential men. It is saddening that politics in Liberia has become a no-go-zone for many Liberian women for the fear of being bullied, maliciously slandered, and intimidated.”
It was in 2005 that Liberia elected its first woman president, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was reelected in 2011 serving a two-six-year term, however, the West African nation remains largely challenged by a low proportion of women in elected and appointed positions.
Outgoing president George Weah, who asserted that he was the country’s feminist-in-chief, did not approve the 30 percent gender quota law. The President vetoed this clause in the New Elections Law.
The 30 Percent Gender Quota in Liberia’s New Elections Law section 14 stipulates that no gender should be less than 30 percent or more than 30 percent on party lists, and parties must strive to achieve that goal. It was, however, not possible to accomplish this in the just concluded elections.
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In the country’s 2023 presidential and legislative elections, only two of the over 20 political parties achieved the 30% gender quota.
As a result of the absence of the vice president in Liberia, the pro tempore president of the Senate may administer all oaths required by the Constitution, sign legislation, act as joint presider with the Speaker of the House when the two houses meet together in joint sessions, and fulfill all other presidential obligations.
Lawrence who supported the election of Liberia’s president-elect, of the main opposition Joseph Boakai, served as chair for the opposition Unity Party alliance campaign team that was successful in winning the election of the 79-year-old and his vice president Jeremiah Kpan-Koung on November 14, 2023.
This Liberian female politician and her late husband Adolph Lawrence are the first couple to have been elected to the Liberian legislature back-to-back in the 21st century.
During the 2012 election, her husband was elected as a representative to the House of Representatives, while she was elected as a senator in 2013, ending the tenure of Senator John Whitefield.
In 2020, she was reelected to a full nine-year term.
Nyonblee Lawrence is currently the leader of one of Liberia’s top five political parties, the Liberty Party (LP) of renounced Liberian Statesman Charles Walker Brumskine.
