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Claim: Liberia’s former vice president, Madam Jewel Howard Taylor, advocates for a female candidate in the Nimba by-election, claiming only three or four counties have elected female senators, and the others have never elected a female senator.
Verdict: Misleading! Seven out of fifteen counties have elected female senators.
Full Text
Former vice president of the Republic of Liberia, Madam Jewel Howard Taylor, advocates for more female candidates in the Senatorial elections in Liberia. As the country prepares for a by-election in Nimba County on April 22, Madam Taylor claims that only three or four counties out of fifteen have elected female senators.
Madam Taylor made the claim when she appeared on a local radio show, Spoon Talk, which aired on Spoon FM and TV, plus other local radio stations in Liberia on Sunday,
April 6, 2025.
She made this claim between 2:34:00 and 2:35:00 hours/minutes/seconds of the over four-hour show.
The former Liberian vice president was responding to whether she supports the lone female candidate in the impending Nimba County senatorial by-election scheduled for April 22, 2025.
She said, “As an individual, I have always said that we need more women on board in leadership. There are very few counties that have elected females as senators, very few like Bong, Margibi, Montserrado, and Grand Bassa Counties; most of the other counties have never elected female senators. Only three or four counties have elected female senators, and the others have never elected a female senator.”
The show, which was carried live on the institution’s official Facebook page, generated over 1k emojis, more than 6k comments, and 97k views.
Even though her comment was not designed to denigrate women, it is significant to know that only three or four women were senators in Liberia’s election.
Verification
DUBAWA felt obligated to verify this claim by the former Liberian vice president because it came from a woman who served as a senator before becoming a vice president. It also paints a negative picture of women’s strides in Liberia’s election, especially in Liberia.
We first looked at the current members of the Liberian Senate. There are three females: Senator Botoe Kanneh of Gbarpolu County, Senator Dabah Varpilah of Grand Cape Mount County, and Senate Pro-Tempore, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence of Grand Bassa County.
It was discovered that ex-Chief Justice Counselor Gloria Musu Scott also served as senator of Mary County from 2005 to 2012.
Senator Joyce Musu Freeman, Senator Hannah G. Brant, and Senator Geraldine Doe, Sheriff, who are now deceased, served as senators of Montserrado County in 2005 and 2009, respectively.
In 2005, Senator Clarice Alpha Jah was elected as senator of Margibi County, a position she held for nine years, from 2005 to 2014.
Counties that have elected female Senators
| No. | Names of Senators | Counties | Years in office |
| 1. | Senator Botoe Kanneh | Gbarpolu county | 2020 – present |
| 2. | Senator Debah Varpilah | Grand Cape Mount County | 2023 – present |
| 3. | Senator Nyoblee Karnga Lawrence | Grand Bassa County | 2013 – present |
| 4. | Madam Jewel Howard Taylor | Bong County | 2005 – 2017 |
| 5. | Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott | Maryland County | 2005 – 2012 |
| 6. | Clarice Alpha Jah | Margibi County | 2005 – 2014 |
| 7. | Joyce Musu Freeman | Montserrado County | 2005 – 2014 |
| 8. | Hannah G. Brent | Montserrado County | 2005 – 2009 |
| 9. | Geraldine Doe Sheriff | Montserrado County | 2009 – 2019 |
| 10. | Grace Minor | Montserrado County | 2002 – 2003 |
Conclusion
Based on DUBAWA’s research, the claim by former Liberian Vice President Madam Jewel Howard Taylor that only three or four counties in Liberia have elected females as senators is misleading.
