The inaugural ceremony was graced by the oppositions Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) which initially threatened to stage a demonstration and carry out a parallel inauguration ceremony.

Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Vice President Joseph N.Boakai during the ceremony. Photo courtesy of http://frontpageafricaonline.com.

In her inaugural address titled “The Values of a Patriot”, President Johnson-Sirleaf challenged the nation to answer the patriot's call of duty:

Let us go forth from this Inauguration Day to roll up our sleeves, to make the sacrifices necessary for our continued growth and development: economic, educational, moral and spiritual.

let us resolve that our pride in our Liberian nation, and in our tradition and heritage, will be manifested in a new commitment to the democratic processes that we mark on this solemn occasion.

She further stressed:

A victim of elections violence ahead of Liberia's presidential run-off. Image courtesy of @liberiaelection.

True reconciliation means a process of national healing.  It means learning the lessons of the past to perfect our democracy.  But above all it means economic justice for our citizens and the spread of progress to all our people.  It means creating jobs, opportunities and giving our young people the skills they need to prosper and create the life they choose.

The youths of Liberia are our future, and they sent us a message.  They are impatient.  They are eager to make up for years of conflict and deprivation. They are anxious to know that their homeland offers the grounds for hope.  Let me say to them: We heard that message and it is our solemn obligation to ensure that their hope will not be in vain

Oldman Nagbe, a reader at Frontpage Africa, reminds the government to save the Liberian people and not their families:

Congratulations to all Liberians for providing a peaceful atmosphere for the hosting of the inauguration.

Congratulations to all political parties for participating in the inaugural process. This is an indication that we can put our differences aside and work for the common good of our nation.

To the new government that will be put into place soon, please remember, you will be working for the Liberian people and not for you and your families. We will therefore be looking forward to seeing you working with us to build a better Liberia. You will be there to serve your people and not your people serving you. Do not pay any blind loyalty to your party or the president. The President wants you to be straight with her. You will her advisors, please tell her the truth.

We as Liberians, let be our pledge to work along with government in rebuilding our Country. Nobody can for us, but we ourselves.

CONGRATULATIONS MADAME PRESIDENT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A NEW LIBERIA.

LIBERIA, FORWARD FOREVER AND BACKWARD NEVER!

At Liberia Elections 2011 Media Monitoring Group, J.Forkpayeah Akoi Tellewoyan, a Liberian software development engineer, highlights his favorite part of the address:

My favorite part -Pres. Sirleaf: Patriotism does not mean blind Loyalty to power, indeed sometimes the highest demonstration of patriotism may well be seen, when citizens peaceful and respectfully express their oppositions to particular policies propose by those elected to government. Patriots freely and openly and even passionately disagree about what is best for the Nation they love.

Lorenzo Gartorr, a Liberian Behavior Therapist residing in the United States, reflects:

Today was a fulfillment of what is a common trend in a democratic society(Where the incumbent is 75% of the time elected ),also in a democratic society there is an unwritten law of the main opposition taking power after the ruling party 2nd term. As we all know that election is won base on popularity, assuming that Winston Tubman will not be on CDC ticket in the next election and with no one as popular as Weah in Liberia in the absent of Ellen. Can we assume that Liberia will be lead by a Weah's Presidency after Ellen ?

A Liberian who humorously refers to himself as Crazy Man opined quite sanely:

To our youths: Let’s us put our nation first! As a wise leader once said, “Free speech is the first requisite of freedom and a viable, functioning democracy. The exercise of it cannot be at the option of those who think the right to dissent includes the right to destroy.” This wise saying implies that our youths should not mistake freedom of speech as their democratic right to vandalize, to loot, and to have no conscience for the rule of laws that governs us as a Republic. May God grant our political leaders and youths the wisdom to disagree but to use tolerance for the rule of law to settle disputes through dialogue, and non-violence means! Liberians, let’s give peace a chance! May God bless our Republic.

The ceremony had some embarrassing moments.

Liberia's famous Robot-man sending out message of national unity. Photo courtesy of tlcafrica.com.

But in the midst of the pageantry of President Sirleaf’s inauguration with several world leaders and dignitaries in attendance, major blunders and errors in protocol overshadowed the fanfare as the audience and observers  noticed  kept murmuring.One of the most embarrassing and perhaps a constitutional headache and gaff in the  administering the Oath of  Office to the Liberian President in keeping with the constitution…
–
As the Chief Justice administered the Oath of Office to the Liberian President, rather than raise her right hand in confirmation to taking an oath and as the country’s constitution dictates and followed by all Liberian President before the 24th Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, she instead was given a microphone through which she repeated the oath as the Chief Justice, Johnnie Lewis administered the oath of office to her and neither did she place her hand on the Holy Bible and kiss it at the finish of the reading of oath as the normal and usual ritual of all Presidents, including President Sirleaf when she was inaugurated the first time in 2006 to her first term of office.

Here is the solution:

…the Liberian President did not take her oath office since it was not done properly and needs to be re-administered just as president Barrack Obama Oath of Office was re-administered the next day by Chief Justice John Roberts the next morning in the White House because the Oath of Office was mistakenly read by the Chief Justice.

Wade Williams describes this moment in Liberia's political history as “Rebirth of Democracy”:

My best dressed Liberian at the inauguration. Photo courtesy of tlcafrica.com.

Cooper Kwame reminds the government in this fashionable narrative:

I just read the President's inaugural speech. It is a hopeful speech and it recognizes the urgent need to pay serious attention to those President Tolbert referred to as his “precious jewels.”

Six years ago the talk was about “papa na come.” People were highly hopeful and expectations were very high. Papa did come home, day after day, after venting his frustration for six years! Papa did not bring home money to feed his family, but he came home knowing that no one was following him to arrest him or to harm him and his family.

For six long and excruciating years papa and his family endured the many hardships in a free, democratic, and peaceful society. Papa has shown his loyalty and patriotism and it is time for him and his family to reap the benefits for helping to secure a free nation.

The majority of the people of Liberia have suffered for too long: No electricity, no pipe-borne water, no paved roads, few high schools and universities, few clinics and hospitals, few jobs

Reacting to Wade's post, Taynue says:

I like president Sirleaf but, she's not honest when she says Liberia is no longer a country of conflict and deprivation. Unemployment is above 70% that deprives people. Opposition dropped threats of demonstration just hours before inauguration. Some of our fellow citizens died during post elections violence. Isn't that conflict? Several liberians were involved in the conflict in the Ivory Coast. They are our neigbor. I think they scare us.
Madam president, you've got a lot to do just be honest and ask the liberian people to help you steer this nation. Stop white washing stuff good leaders don't do that.

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Rep.Edwin Melvin Snowe of Liberia. Photo courtesy of liberiapolitics.com

Snowe was removed from his position as Speaker in January 2007 following a vote of no confidence. However, on January 29, the Supreme Court ruled in Snowe's favor, describing his removal as unconstitutional.

The controversy arose when a lawyer and other advocacy groups revealed that Snowe's cash prize offered at a party hosted at his house had wooed a lady to strip naked and swim across his swimming pool.

‘Snowegate' has been stirring up real interesting reactions from both the home and diaspora fronts despite the fact that the lady at the center of the allegation denying that she was naked when she swam:

The lady who admitted receiving US$1,000 from Montressado County District Six Representative Edwin Snowe to dance naked at the bachelor’s eve of a Liberian journalist has denied reports that she paraded stark naked at Snowe’s residence last Friday night.

Appearing on a local radio talk show yesterday afternoon, the lady, only indentified Tracy, said she wore a brown swimming suit when she paraded in the presence of invited guests.

Women groups have added their voices to the call fo Snowe's resignation while the lawmakers were busy electing their leadership at the Capitol Building. Mother Hallowangah one of the leaders of the women protesters who described Hon.Snowe's action as “a heavy sin committed by a leader” had this to say:

we are here to tell our Representative Snowe to step aside and repent of his sins as David did in the Bible. He cannot lead us while he is polluted.I am telling Providence Baptist Church if they are not lover of money, to take the lead and tell Snowe to step aside if they are serving the true and living God. They should see reason to tell Snowe to step aside from the positions in the church and repent of his sins regardless of how much money he spends in the church as father of the year or the higher tithes payer in the that church.

The political political activist, Jurah M. Sanoe wrote:

Edwin Snowe is not a private citizen, but a public servant who has served in many capacities, including the present one as lawmaker. He has made fortunes for himself from public service which is the source of his wealth.
If the alleged incident is true, it is condemnable and Snowe must publically apologize to the Liberian people and especially residents of District 5. If not, those who elected him can also start an impeachment proceeding against him. Though this may not work in our gullible society, it will serve as caveat. To influence someone to naked herself in a gathering is a public nuisance,which is condemned under our laws, especially if done in the presence of foreign nationals

Getrude Williams was much more liberal in her reaction:

God does not like ugly neither does He care too much for pretty. I do not see where Snowe went wrong. Why are you people not blaming the firl also? She was not forced into doing what she did. If she was a decent girl she would not have done this. These are some of the things that happen at a bachelor's party, that's why it is called a bachelors party. Strippers are all over the world. Speaking of Clinton's blow job, it was done in the White House and not in his private home - where can the comparison come in? And, speaking of gays, Wow, Liberia has always had gays. From the days of Tubman to now, gay men and Lesbian women are infesting the Liberian society.Edwin, let it Snowe, let it Snowe

Alston C.Armah, a student at the University of Liberia, satirically added his voice in a very classical manner by going down historical lane to unearth another scandal known as the Knuckles-gate. Knuckle-gate is a sexual scandal that rocked Liberia and inevitably ended the political career of a top government officer:

Liberian women calling for Snowe's resignation at the Liberian Capitol Building in Monrovia. Photo courtesy of fpa.com

I write not to disprove what is being reported about Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe, but I write to say what I do know. Unlike some of my colleagues who have chosen to denigrate and condemn this honorable man, I choose to applaud and pay homage to him for his noble deeds.

Representative Snowe is an honorable man. He is a noble man who walks on the path of uprightness. So noble is he that he is reported to have dropped from 11th grade at the onset of our civil war, and, without completing high school, enrolled at the University of Liberia and graduated in record time.

Thanks to our porous educational system. Representative Snowe is so noble that, backed by his honestly gotten wealth, he paved his way to the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives. But, like all historical charades, he descended the post just as he had ascended.

Like Snowe like Knuckles, what’s strange? They are all, all honorable men.

Please tell the public to leave the honorable Snowe alone; let him continue with his honorable encounters. His life is worthy of emulation, and he is setting good examples from which wise young men would learn great lessons.

Even President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who had just signed the Code of Conduct for Executive Bill at the Executive Mansion had her view aired through her Press Secretary Cyrus Wleh Badio on the Snowegate issue:

The president seriously frowns on any act of immorality and she has in fact expressed that to individuals who may have been involved because she thinks it doesn’t speak well of some of the values we stand for as a country and so she frowns on it in a very serious manner

A.Darius Dillion, a political analyst, a friend and former subordinate of Snowe reacted in a more diplomatic fashion:

Firstly, I take cognizance of the fact that whether this story or incident is true or not, and even though this may be an acceptable norm at such occasions in other ‘open societies’, ours is not ‘open’ enough to stomach or embrace any news about a woman being requested or induced to “strip naked” in public for any form of reward;. Secondly, this was not a planned or generally agreed agenda item for the night. The offer put up by Mr. Snowe was something initiated and done unilaterally at his own volition, considering that it was a social event of adults. This has turned to be what we have on our hands. 

In consideration of the above, and since I was not physically present around the swimming pool at the time to have personally witnessed the incident, coupled with the fact that I have seen no such tape or photo to safely counter “Tracy’s” version or concur with Mr. Dan Saryee’s information, I come neither to out rightly condemn Mr. Snowe nor praise or prop him up. I must admit that I am not only worried but deeply disappointed over his prolonged silence on this matter which may make true the maxim that says “Silence means consent”. I therefore call on him to muster the courage to issue a public statement and apology to the women of Liberia and those who felt and still do feel offended by this story; especially the manner it was told. I also call on him to extend similar apology to all his friends who have been maligned as well as those who attended the bachelor’s party held at his home. I hold the view that had Mr. Snowe taken into consideration the sensitive feelings and reactionary attitude of our society to such stories, he would have thoughtfully avoided the embarrassment we all now face. I can only hope this will serve as lesson learnt, not only to Mr. Snowe as a public official, but to all who hold or aspire to public office in our land.

Tom Monboe, a humanitarian Liberia worker, boldly pointed out the human rights dimension of the issue:

The issue involving Rep Snowe is not just a morality issue but also a human right issue. Every high-quality human being who puts premium on the dignity of another person, should be concerned that no matter one’s social or economic status, their integrity should not be mortgaged with such a degree of pomposity. When two consenting adults meet and do what they want to do privately, that's fine. But when a financial offer is made for one to nude in the company of others mainly public officials, then it translates into a blatant mindless display of arrogance of resources. And this is why those involved should get the proportional public reprimand. For posterity sake, let others who were at the event join the likes of Dan Saryeh to be the witness of public conscience to redeem themselves from this sacrilege which is a scandal of an unimaginable proportion.

After almost two weeks of enduring the scorns from different sources, the embattled politician had his say:

Representative Snowe pointed out:I am deeply troubled by the manner in which a gathering intended to celebrate the holy matrimony of a brother and friend is now being transformed into degradation of womanhood; for this, I expressed deep regrets.I have never and will never do anything to bring womanhood into disrepute, no matter their status in society.I am deeply saddened that this unfounded allegation is being sustained in the media. I have spoken to my mother who has expressed dismay over the manner in which womanhood is being brought into disrepute and disdain by this unfounded allegation. I have also spoken to my pastor and some members of my church as well as other eminent women in our society who have all expressed deep concern over this falsehood.

When quizzed to give clarification on the exact details of what occurred on the night in question, the lawmaker cleverly survived the question with these words:

I have not come to tell you people what happened that night. What I have come to say is that all that is being reported in the media over the last few weeks is false and misleading

 

The stage is set, echoes of reactions are popping up from every angles. There are even claims of death threats made to journalists.

Will this scandal lead to the resignation of the lawmaker or will he “walk away like Craig Davids” ( a local expression in Liberia that means walking away with impunity). Liberia's respect for morality, cultural values and norms is at a crossroad.

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While the year 2012 is already well on its way, the translators of Global Voices in Dutch look back on 2011. Which posts stood out and what makes Global Voices so special?

Marjolein Snippe writes:

A while ago I had been translating a short documentary on the Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant and the arguments of indigenous people opposing it. Then I saw this report on Global Voices. I was glad the issue is still receiving attention and that the (mainly) indigenous people opposing it are getting their voices heard in Brazilian courtrooms, by the Brazilian government and by worldwide sympathisers and supporters.

I was very much touched by an article about Syria I translated back in March. All the personal stories and deep worries made the impact the struggles had on the people living there so much more visible and “tangible” than most official newspaper reports!

Mieke Tulp writes:

Being asked which GV posts from last year made an impression, it seems inevitable to come up with something about the Arabic Spring. One article that struck me was a report about day-to-day life on Tahrir Square. It focussed on the positive attitude and feelings among the protesters. Little Utopia amidst explosive surroundings

Another story from an Arab country that touched me was the arrest of Razan Ghazzawi. The article was translated into virtually every language Global Voices covers, and rightfully so. She was released on 18 December.

Something that had an absolutely negative impact on me: Troy Davis’ death. He was executed in September. I do not know what to say about it. It should not have happened.

And an interesting story about children who have to work. In Bolivia the working children formed unions to ensure better wages and working conditions. It is a story about strong children who work and go to school and are determined to create a better future for themselves.

Percy Balemans writes:

Last year I translated a lot of stories about the Arab Spring, a subject that was also covered extensively by regular media. But they mainly showed images of huge crowds. This is why I was touched by the story about Egyptian Nadia El Awady who took her 73-year old father to Tahrir Square. What a wonderful way to get a taste of the atmosphere and to read how a 73-year old experiences it all!

I also enjoyed translating the article “African Women Striving to be Heads of State“. A perfect example of the kind of subject you won't read about in regular media, but which is covered by Global Voices.

Saskia Bliemer writes:

I found “North Korea Threatens to Disclose Recordings of Talks with South“, written by Lee Yoo Eun, very interesting to translate. Though we have seen lots of images from North Korea on the news lately, the country remains a mystery to me. The good thing about Global Voices is that you can read the opinions of the local population, making it possible to get a more complete idea of the situation.

A huge thank you to all Global Voices in Dutch translators [nl] for their contributions in 2011! Would you like to contribute as well? Contact us.

This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices in 2011.

Written by Percy Balemans · Translated by Percy Balemans · View original post [nl] · comments (0)
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Written by Ndesanjo Macha · comments (1)
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President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had earlier mandated the Monrovia City Corporation to design a scheme to get some 3,000 students employed under the auspices of a vacation job scheme. A program that was intended for 3,000 students turned out to be a chaotic 20,000 or more student vacation job program that soured the relations between the students and the Liberian government .

The riots are said to have erupted after the students who reportedly worked for around a week or so doing sanitation related works in Monrovia turned out for the promised $35 but could not get their pay in time and thereafter ran out of patience.

Liberian police battling to quell rioting students. Photo courtesy of Earnest Garbleejay Smith Facebook page.

The violence has left so many with hundreds of unaswered of questions regarding the path of national development. Did the future leaders of Liberia behave like decent people with integrity? Nathan Patio Charles lamented:

@NathanPatio: for the second time vocation job students in # Liberia have gone on the rampage in Monrovia , burning gov't and private #cars,

Svaye saw the problem from a spiritual perspective:

@beSassic: Sending prayers to my sweet #Liberia

Samuel Herring weighed on the other side of the coin:

@theboyfromlib: Heard its not really the youth who worked. It those tryna get paid and can't provide identification. #Liberia

Le Patron Vonk quickly diagnosed the problem and recommended a remedy:

The hungry man is an angry man…Pay the students for the job they did…No curfew will solve this problem…blame it on Mary Broh.

Commenting on Le Patron Vonk's observations, Massa Johnson noted:

ur know we liberians are full off corruption.ur hired ppl with out proper id i myself if i was in lib i will be standing on line with my family.

Clarence Pratt wondered why will the students who will eventually get paid want destroy their country:

@Arsenalistical: They going to get pay so why are they overreacting and destroying homes, business and cars. Come on # Liberia

John Kantan, a victim of police brutality. Photo courtesy of Liberian Observer Online.

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The admission of Palestine as a full member of UNESCO on 31 October 2011 has prompted an intense debate, with people taking very different stands.  Africans from the continent as well as the diaspora have also taken an active part in the debate online.  However, whether they agreed or disagreed with Palestine's admission to UNESCO, the different sides have often projected the debate onto the internal problems of their own countries.

UNESCO admits Palestine. Photo by Salaam Shalom on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The site ouestaf.com reveals which African countries abstained from voting:

Trois pays ouest africains figurent dans le lot des abstentionnistes : Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Togo. Ils constituent avec le Cameroun, l’Ouganda, la Zambie et le Rwanda les seuls pays africains à n’avoir pas voté en faveur de la résolution faisant de Palestine un Etat membre à part entière de l’Unesco.

Each of the countries that chose to abstain gave its official reasons, which bloggers then quickly tore apart. The site amaizo.info published an article giving valid reasons for most of the countries:

En réalité, ces pays ont en commun d’assurer une partie de leur sécurité rapprochée jusqu’au niveau des gardes présidentielles avec Israël sans compter les aides économiques.

Ces « neutralistes » se cachent derrière l’obligation de réserve au lieu d’expliquer qu’ils sont tous directement ou indirectement tributaires du soutien des pays qui ne veulent pas entendre parler d’un Etat Palestinien pour le moment. Nommons Israël, les Etats-Unis, le Canada et la Colombie, etc. La France a voté en faveur de l’adhésion de la Palestine à l’UNESCO, mais annonce qu’elle s’abstiendra au Conseil de Sécurité.

Explaining the position of Ivory Coast, the only African country run by a Muslim president to have opted for abstention, S. Débailly writes in an article entitled “Palestine in UNESCO / Ivory Coast abstains from voting - Why Alassane Ouattara didn't say yes to Nicolas Sarkozy”, published by abidjan.net:

Une source au ministère d’Etat, ministère des Affaires étrangères reconnaît que la pression a été forte. Mais, ajoute-t-elle, elle est restée fidèle à sa nouvelle ligne de conduite dictée par la recherche de la paix par la négociation et la volonté de préserver les amitiés avec tous les Etats du monde. Un peu comme la philosophie diplomatique du père fondateur [Félix Houphouët-Boigny], à savoir : ‘’la Côte d’Ivoire, amie de tous, ennemie de personne’’.

But Roch Tieh, a resident of Sétif in Morocco, commenting on that article, has quite a different explanation, more personal, for President Abdourahmane Dramane Ouattara (ADO):

Loin de partager l'avis de la plupart des frères qui sont intervenus sur ce sujet, j'ai une autre vision de la chose. Je risque de choquer certains, mais pour ceux qui me voient souvent prendre position pour ADO, je dirai ici (Sans en avoir la preuve) que le vote de notre Pays a été influencé, par la Première Dame (Que je respecte beaucoup). Elle serait d'origine Juive et donc comme le dit l'Agade: Ce qui Femme veut, DIEU le veut aussi. Notre Président a demandé que notre Pays s'abstienne, si on ne peut pas voter pour l'adhésion de la Palestine à l'Unesco, il faut rester neutre. C'est sage de sa part et il n'y a pas de Palabres inutiles à la maison.

A story written by Alain Noah Awana of the journal Le Messager (The Messenger) on cameroon-info.net agrees with the  previous analysis on why Cameroon also abstained:

Joint sur son téléphone portable alors qu'il se trouvait à Paris, le Pr. Messanga Nyamding donne les trois raisons qui, selon lui, ont poussé le Cameroun sur la voie de l'abstention….En filigrane, on peut comprendre que le pays a choisi la neutralité pour ne pas attirer les foudres de la communauté internationale, notamment celles des Etats-Unis. Deuxièmement, il se pourrait que le Cameroun ait voulu éviter de «frustrer» un pays ami. Là, le professeur parle d'Israël, qui était formellement opposé à l'admission de la Palestine à l'Unesco. «Le Cameroun a de très bonnes relations avec Israël, sur les plans économique et militaire. C'est un partenaire privilégié que nous n'avons pas voulu frustrer», argue-t-il. Enfin, et c'est la troisième raison, la position du Cameroun tient lieu du fait que c'est un pays très attaché aux groupes du tiers monde et des non alignés. «Nous avons donc choisi la voie du milieu, en attendant qu'il y ait visibilité. Et c'est d'ailleurs ce que le chef de l'Etat a toujours prôné», appuie-t-il.

These explanations don't seem to convince Massaknowall, who makes the following remarks in the comment section:

La garde rapprochée de Biya est formée par les israëliens ceci explique peut-être cela tout simplement

In a comment on a story by Justin Daboné, entitled “Palestine in UNESCO:  Those American anti-democrats”, which appeared on the online site for L'Observateur Paalga in Burkina Faso, a reader named Osiris wrote, addressing President Obama:

vous devez user de votre influence pour amener les durs d' Israel à mettre un peu d'eau dans leurs vins§ beaucoup d'Israeliens ont payé de leur vie et idem pour les palestiniens ! Il est temps de donner un état à ce peuple.

Clive Chanda finds another reason for Zambia's abstention [en]:

… in 1991, several Jewish Rabbis, came to Zambia, and held a press conference at one of the top hotels in Lusaka, I forget which one. At this conference, they said that God Almighty had told them that there was a lost tribe of Jews in northern Zambia.

Another comment by Yambayamba published on zambianwatchdog.com draws conclusions [en] which sum up the point of view of many Africans:

Palestinians have suffered long enough. Telling Israel this truth does not mean, or should it ever be interpreted as being ANTI JEWISH. Good friends tell friends the truth. Sometimes truth is hard to hear, but it is the truth nonetheless. Because for how long are the Israelis going to sustain the current existing “status quo” between them and their neighbors, the Palestinians? The earlier they deal with this issue, the less physical and psychological damage it is going to cause to future generations in that part of the world.

Written by Abdoulaye Bah · Translated by Patricia Worth · View original post [fr] · comments (0)
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The stations were forced off the air following a complaint filed by Justice Minister Christiana Tah and Information Minister Cletus Sieh.

However, Judge James Zota ordered the re-opening of the closed media outlets arguing that though the respondents action is being punishable under the law yet the court thought it befitting not to impose punishment against the respondents in an effort to guarantee press freedom in Liberia.

Giving a summary of the ruling on Liberia Elections 2011 Media Monitoring Group, Mohammed Ali wrote:

The Criminal Court A has just rule in the case putting the media institutions in the wrong on the basis of the pieces of evidence provided by Government. The Court said that the pieces of evidence provided by the government proved that the 3 media institutions were actually engaged in preaching hate messages. However, the Court has said that since this was a conference between the 3 Media Institutions and the government and not a trial, the media institutions should be reopened with the strongest warning that they will be closed permantly if they should ever repeat those hate messages again.

Reconciliation is the way forward: Two members of main politican parties in Liberia shaking hands. Photo courtesy of Photos of Liberia Elections 2011 Media Monitoring Group.

A commentary posted on African Election Project blog dismissed the “cowboy style” closure and kangaroo style “pardon”:

Perhaps it wouldbe more honourable to begin by first joining others to categorically decry, condemn and reject both the cowboy style closure of three local media entities and the rather bogus and kangaroo process that attended their “pardon”. It is shameful and troubling that Liberia, having endured a cataclysmic civil conflict due to political tyranny and elective justice, would be forced to down the dark paths.

Why did the government turn a blind eye to “a magazine without known editorial management” which “dropped from the sky”?:

A day or so before the November 7 inferno, a magazine without known editorial management dropped from the sky and distributed free of charge describing some Liberians as trouble mongers, charlatans and risky. The Government made no single shriek about it. It was patriotic Journalism. During the campaign and even today, the government's “dangling media” continue to demonize some parties and politicians. Those publications are neither “handate messages” nor ” anti-peace”…

A Molotov cocktail was thrown at Love FM in post-election violence. Photo courtesy of the Press Union of Liberia.

Vote4Africa an advocacy group summarized the case in the tweet below:

@vote4africa : #Liberia: 3 media outlets found guilty of inciting hatred, no penalty given:

R.S.W. Chea, a Liberian advocate, educator and clergyman chose to address the issue on Cafe L.I.B social network from its root while discussing Liberia three-fold problems facing Liberia: corruption, ignorance and illiteracy [Cafe L.I.B is a global networking platform for Liberians & friends of Liberia, which requires login]:

In light of the current destruction of private and public properties, this problem should be the concern of every Liberian beyond politics and party lines.  In light of development, we are already way underdeveloped, and how much more undeveloped can we get?  All these burning down of media outlets, buildings and government vehicles are only setting us back economically, socially, and psychologically.  This is part of the reason we are where we are.  We have many issues in Liberia and they all result for the absence of nationalism, but on top of the list are three major problems, namely corruption, ignorance and illiteracy.  However, I will only address ignorance and illiteracy very briefly and continue on the issue of our non-nationalistic attitude and behavior.  Note that the two (ignorance and illiteracy) are not synonymous, but distinct, yet they compliment each other.

@africareview summed up the case in a few, yet meaningful words:

Court gives # Liberia broadcasters second chance

@Leo_Johnson, a young and emerging Liberia progressive tweep said:

Media found guilty of spreading hate messages in Liberia

Even before the court ordered the re-opening of the media entities, Liberians in the Diaspora voiced out their views from different standpoints. Jerome Gayman of Fort Pierce, Florida, United States (US) wrote:

When I went to work that Tuesday morning the first thing my boss asked was ‘What happened to the freedom of the press? What happened to the human rights? “This time around I was leaning towards Ellen’s re-election because she has done a lot of good stuffs in that country like the kind of developments under her that we had not seen in our times. And I was impressed under her administration on three issues that I had given her very high marks on: freedom of the press, economic development and women’s right. But I was shocked when I heard what happened that Monday.

The protestors have the right to protest. That reminded me of the April 14 Rice Riot and I couldn’t believe that could happen under her. I mean of all people, how could that have happened under her?

Unlike Jerome, Moses Dolo of Tigard, Oregon, United States, clarified and chose a different path:

We regret the death of any Liberian, but the government has the responsibility to protect the majority of the Liberian people. Politicians and media should not incite our people to violence for their own selfish objective.

Kadiatu Henry, a Liberian lady residing in Pennsylvania, US, was far more elaborate:

In my mind, the government over-reacted. The police needed to be a bit tolerant and even if provoked to shoot, should have only shot in the air and not into the people especially after they had used tear gas. For the media houses closed down, it is difficult to maintain a balance between freedom of the press and misuse of that freedom. While it may have been wrong to shut them down, the government too may have sensed much danger coming out of their frequent playing of those ugly scenes over and over again, especially where election was slated for the next day.

Trouble Sayeh of Columbus, Ohio, US, suggested that this could be a sign of more troubles ahead:

In my mind, those two actions of police brutal killing and clamp down on media only convinced me now that Ellen was only soft during first term to pat the Liberians. Now with a second term, she might show her worst since she will no longer need the Liberian people’s vote. “

“Honestly, I’m surprised but again not because she is just another African leader who is capable of any change at any time even if it means from better to evil. Let’s watch her second term. It could be a sign of more troubles.”

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“But exactly who did she win against?,” @Rwandankunda asks:

@Evode7 But the media has rubber-stamped the election as a 90% win. But exactly who did she win against? with a 30% turn out? #Liberia

@Rwandankunda again:

@geoffreyyork C'mon, how can anyone call that victory when the opposition did not participate? It is a troubling trend in Africa #Liberia

Many Voices, Many Interests, One Nation. Image courtesy of @liberiaelection.

Reacting to the news that the main opposition figure, Winston Tubman, is seeking legal options to have President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's re-election annulled, one Liberian netizen, Moses Carter, says:

If CDC [Congress for Democratic Change] has a case, the courts are the only sources of remedy. I think this bickering over legitimate or illegitimate needs to stop by all parties and let's move Liberia forward… If this is well said, then, let me know!!!

Mohamed Kamara wonders:

Why the world medias keep describing the Liberia election run-off as ”CONTROVERSIAL ELECTION” ?

Commenting about the boycott, @Kenyaeric tweets:

Boycotting elections in #Liberia a cowardly African way of sorting out political duels leading to violence.

@sarankjones says:

some people are clearly delusional. #Tubman #Liberia #Liberia2011

The New Dispensation blog publishes a statement from the Congress for Democratic Change:

A victim of elections violence ahead of Liberia's presidential run-off. Image courtesy of @liberiaelection

Our position to not recognize the results from the runoff remains unchanged; we will NOT recognize the so called win by President Sirleaf as a result of the very flawed process leading up to the second round of the elections; our party will meet shortly to revisit and re-examine our position and if there’s either an enhanced or mitigated position, we will announce it to all

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@liberiaelection reports:

No CDC party agents at any of the polling centers AEP has visited across the country #Liberia2011 #Liberiaelections

@lutherjake managed to vote:

Just got thru voting in the #liberia2011 election run-off…. #Liberia, please get up and exercise your #democratic rights.

An empty polling center in Monrovia. Photo courtesy of @liberiaelection.

Pray for Liberia:

@PartnersWW: Please pray for our staff and affiliate businesses in Nicaragua and Liberia during the country presidential elections happening right now.

@danrutledge1: Please pray for peaceful elections in Liberia today. They had some violence flare up yesterday and it's a volatile situation.

@kenyakate's tip for journalists in Liberia:

Journalists in #Liberia for run-off: @iLabLiberia has fast Internet connection that ur welcome to use for uploading ur stories #Liberia2011

Below is a map of election-related incidents from the 2011 Elections in Liberia:

The majority of the reports on this site are contributed by Ushahidi Liberia’s partner organizations; each organization has their own protocols and metrics for report verification and publication
- It has been Ushahidi Liberia’s intention from the beginning not to crowdsource information regarding the electoral process. Given the potential for unreliable information and volatility from the crowd in Liberia, we have intentionally sought information from partner organizations whom we have trained in reporting to the platform – a crowdseeding approach rather than crowdsourcing. This is a different approach than is often taken in other deployments of the Ushahidi platform.
- Some members of the crowd made use of the map’s shortcode and sent anonymous messages during the election. Due to the receipt of these messages, the Ushahidi Liberia team created a “crowdsourced” category. We realize that this exception contradicts the original intention to crowdseed information, however we did not want to dismiss or discourage Liberian citizens who made the effort to share information in a climate that typically does not promote information sharing

Polling stations are nearly empty:

@liberiaelection: Reports reaching AEP from across Liberia say turnout is lower than even the referendum polls #Liberia2011

@scarlettlion: Polling station in New Kru Town, which is Weah's area, is all but empty. #liberia2011

@scarlettlion: Monrovia is quiet. Last voting day people were queuing even in the rain at five am. Now, polling stations nearly empty. #liberia2011

Baby looks on as mother goes through the voting process. Photo courtesy of @liberiaelection.

djbaba says the call for a boycott may be working:

I went for a morning jog following a similar route I ran the morning of the October 11 elections in Liberia. On October 11, the atmosphere was one filled with anticipation as voters braved the pouring rain to make sure their voices were heard. Today it seems like a majority of the voters have stayed home so far. Two polling stations had maybe one tenth the number of voters they had by 7:30 AM as they did on October 11, and the weather is nice and sunny today.

But then again on October 11, people were voting for Legislative as well as Presidential elections while today the vote is a run-off between two Presidential Candidates. Maybe Liberian's care more about Legislative elections? Or maybe the 70% voter turnout was a result of 15 Presidential hopefuls? I doubt it though. The CDC's call for voters to boycott the election may indeed be working but to what end?

As the New Democrat Newspaper Column says, “THIS TOO IS LIBERIA!!!”

Following the boycott by the opposition leader Winston Tubman, Africa's first female president and Nobel Peace Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf remains the only candidate.

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Upon his return from Abuja, Nigeria, last Friday where he attended an ECOWAS consultative briefing, the presidential candidate for the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Winston Tubman, in an address delivered to his members categorically stressed that CDC wouldn't take part in the runoff.

The CDC chief's proclaimation stirred up many views both at home and abroad: Mardea Wiles commented:

Cllr. Winston Tubman has reiterated that CDC will not participate in the November 8th runoff for allegations of fraud and biases. If CDC is convinced beyond all reasonable doubts that the process was fraudulent, their Representatives just elected in the October 11th election should also boycott the process by not taking up their seats in the House of Legislature. With such action, the Liberians will know that they are determined to pursue this claim to a logical conclusion. Can you honor part of a process and disregard some under the same NEC Administration?

Congress for Democratic Change presidential candidate Winston Tubman. Picture courtesy of africatv1.com

The New Dispensation blog broke the CDC's call for a boycott this way:

Liberia’s controversial next Tuesday run-off election is postponed and President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf will address the nation at which time she will officially inform the Liberian people of the government’s decision.

The run-off election has come to be one of gridlock as the opposition party and presidential candidate Cllr. Winston Tubman withdrew in protest to boycott the run-off. Cllr. Winston Tubman who returned from Nigeria yesterday after having talks with Nigeria President Goodluck Johnathan and Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), reiterated his call for boycott of the Tuesday election, calling on his supporters and partisans to peacefully boycott the Tuesday polls by staying home.

Elizabeth J.Nelson, the acting chairperson of Liberia Elections Commission. Photo courtesy of necliberia.org

The National Elections Commission under the leadership of its new acting chairperson, Elizabeth J.Nelson, reassured all stakeholders that NEC-Liberia is fully committed to leading Liberia to a peaceful transition via free, fair and peaceful elections. In her first official press conference held last week Tuesday, she specifically pinpointed the organisation's readiness to conduct a credible runoff.

In an effort to motivate citizens to exercise their constitutional voting right against a boycott, Mr. Samuel Tolehyon Gbatu, Sr, a Liberian in the Diaspora chose these words for Liberians:

Wake Up Call: It is time for us (Liberians) to exhibit our patriotism, it is time for us to learn that violence is not the answer to our quest if we did not learn that in the past. This is not even based on party levels, be a patriot, support your and its people, refrain from violence and be a good citizen. Support the electoral process and accept the result for a way forward. Politicians will come and go, but the future of Liberia still remains in our hands……Their aims are unknown don't fall for them. Don't be a fool to be used to destroy your own country, remember their lives are better than the average Liberians.

Unlike Mr. Gbatu, who is calling for a peaceful continuation of the electoral process during the run-off, Jerome J.Verdier, the erstwhile chairman of the defunct Liberian Truth of Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has called for a complete halt to the process. He called the process the “Kangaroo November 8 runoff” and urged the Liberian Senate to cease it:

We have on hand a constitutional/political crisis which should spare no effort in ensuring its peaceful resolution founded in dialogue pursuant to a political resolution. The only other option is the legal option which is no longer viable as no one who is a major stakeholder has any inkling of confidence in the Supreme Court to dispose of contentious matters independently, judiciously and legally where the interest of President Sirleaf is concerned.

A political resolution entails that the senate which has oversight of presidential appointments must engage both parties, along with the international community, halt any kangaroo November 8 runoff and advert further deterioration of an already worsening situation.

An elderly lady being escorted by her son to vote. Photo courtesy of @liberiaelection.

Ibrahim Al-bakri Nyei, a Liberian Youth Ambassador For Peace, commissioned by the Universal Peace Federation described the process in these words: “products of post-conflict governance leakages”:

At this point it is important to mention that the prevailing developments in Liberia are not spontaneous, but are products of pos-conflict governance leakages which the administration overlooked. There are governance leakages which have all built up to numerous political crises out of which the current situation is just one product. Two key issues can be considered here as part of the leakages. The first was the failure of the administration to lead the country into a broader national process of Constitutional reform. Constitutional reform is a key and fundamental element of postwar reform, and had this government embarked on such an initiative key issues of national controversy would have been sorted out and addressed. Rather, the administration chose to support and conduct a referendum month to the election. It was from this controversial referendum the current tension around the elections began.

The United Nations (UN) in the midst of all the claims and counter claims reaffirmed its commitment to the electoral process. The world governing body through its Chief, Ban Ki-moon, said the UN supports the joint efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the UN Special Representative for Liberia, Ellen Margrethe Lj, to promote dialogue and build confidence in the electoral process and stressed the need for all parties to foster a peaceful transition.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional body of which Liberia is a founding member continued to urge the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) to participate in the run-off.

In the wake of all of the fervent efforts being exerted by ECOWAS, with the memory of ECOWAS' role in the Liberian civil crisis still fresh on the minds of many Liberians, Joe ‘Saye-Tomah' Gbaba, Sr, showed strong reservations about the regional body's sincerity and neutrality through a comment on the Elections Media Monitoring group on Facebook:

Given the trend of politics in Liberia the comments recently made by the ECOWAS Commission is very troubling in that the ECOWAS Commission suggested that it will “recognize” Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, even if the people of Liberia boycott the elections and reject her as their leader. Such a statement reflects the biased and prejudiced stance the ECOWAS Commission took from day one when ECOMOG’s Ghanaian Field Commander Arnorld Quinoo master-minded the brutal murder of Liberia’s sitting President Samuel Kanyon Doe at the hands of rebels of Prince Johnson’s Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL).

From that time moving forward, it became crystal-clear that ECOWAS Commission had a hidden agenda and that they would be in Liberia for keeps. For, the ECOWAS Commission would pretend they were in Liberia to secure the peace and bring the Liberian human carnage and mayhem to a close. Whereas, in reality, they would enhance and perpetuate mayhem and lawlessness in its various forms in cohort with Liberian rebel warlords and their supporters.

Despite Tubman's call for a boycott, polling opened today for the disputed presidential run-off.

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African Election Project reports that he resigned because of “Letter-gate”:

The Liberia National Elections Commission (NEC) Chairman, James Fromayan has resigned his post, Sunday, 30th October 2011 following a communication blunder the commission carried out when it served a letter of notification to the two leading political candidates; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the Unity Party (UP) and Winston Tubman of Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).

The blunder which has widely been referred to as the “Letter-gate”, emerged in the aftermath of a letter sent to the vice standard bearer of the CDC, George Manneh Weah signed by Fromayan reading: “The total number of votes tallied for the Unity Party(UP) presidential and vice presidential candidates was 194,370 or 32.7 percent of the valid votes cast. You received the highest vote total among the 16 candidates thus qualifying you to participate in the run-off election on November 8.”

Bobby Livingston, the commission’s director of communications, who prepared the letter has been dismissed.

L-R: Former Director of Communication Bobby Livingston and former Chairman James Fromayan. Photo courtesy of www.theliberianjournal.com

The former National Elections Commission chairman has been accused continuously by the opposition led by the Congress for Democratic Change for being a staunch supporter of the ruling party:

…the opposition Congress for Democratic Change persistently accused the election commission of tampering with ballots to favor Nobel Peace Prize Laureate President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and her Unity Party and that the result did not reflect the true aspirations of votes cast.

The party insisted among other things, the head of the National Election Commission, James Fromoyan step down or be removed and the commission reshuffled to restore credibility, integrity, and trust, imperative ingredients necessary for both parties to participate in a run-off in which they are confident in the integrity of the commission to administer the run-off of next Tuesday with independence and transparency.

In the wake of his resignation, he emphatically said that his decision to bow out was based solely upon the conviction for a peaceful transition against chaotic  transition.

In his letter of resignation, Mr. Fromoyan said “I want to emphasize that the decision I make today is in the supreme interest of Liberians and not a capitulation of these demands. It is my hope therefore that with my departure from the commission, there will be no further obstacle or pre-condition for the participation in the November presidential run-off election.”

The Liberian electoral process thus far has been declared free and transparent by numerous credible entities ranging  from the UN, ECOWAS, AU, the Carter Center, EU and many more local accredited civil groups. Despite that, the oppositions led by the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) continuously threatened to boycott the November 8th,2011 Runoff elections.

In response to Mr.Fromoyan's resignation, the Congress for Democratic Change leadership had this to say:

The opposition Congress for Democratic Change(CDC) says it welcomes the resignation of Mr. James Fromayan from the position of Chairman of the National Elections Commission(NEC) but is still maintaining a set of conditions it says needs to be put in place before it fully participates in the process.

Addressing a major news conference at the party’s headquarters in Congotown Monday, Winston Tubman, the party’s standard bearer said: “The official position of the CDC remains that we are committed to moving forward and that we will participate in the runoff elections when all of the additional checks and balance mechanisms are put in place.

President Sirleaf supporters at Samuel K. Doe stadium. Photo courtesy of www.stolenyearstocome.blogspot.com

Has the former chairman of the commission fled the country? Well, according to Move 2 Monrovia, the elections campaigns have been accompanied by “frequent, fantastical tales and apocryphal episodes”:

Monrovia is so unique in many ways, one of which has been particularly pronounced this fall: constant waves of rumor and intrigue. America may have its cable chattering classes and plugged-in pundits, but this town is all tongue-wagging and tale-trading, which can give legs to some incredulous whoppers.

Since the start of the campaign season, the Monrovia rumor mill has been churning out such frequent, fantastical tales and apocryphal episodes that this town makes a rural boarding school look like a scientific review board.

A member of Liberia Elections 2011 Media Monitoring Group says that the former chairman has fled the country:

A day after the one whose Flomoyan intervention gave the presidency said she will not change the captain in the middle of the game , James Flomoyan has disgracefully resigned, apologized for his actions of manipulating the results in favor of UP and fled the country for Ghana. He has joined his family who settled in Airport Residence, Ghana since March of 2011.

In the same thread, Paul Newon disputes the story:

@Gusta… “James Flomoyan has disgracefully resigned, apologized for his actions of manipulating the results in favor of UP and fled the country for Ghana” is a lie… stop spreading lies.. thanks…

Mardea E. Martin-Wiles expresses her gratitude for Fromayan's work:

No matter what some Liberians may say about the former elections chairman, I still say, thank you. Your work will forever be appreciated and you have made history. I respect you then and will always. My hats off to you.

Should the former Director of Communication be reinstated? Henson King asks:

Now that Flomoyan has owned up and is gone because of “PEACE”, should Bobby Livingstone be reinstated at the NEC?

Abdullah Fahnbulleh answers:

The answer is no absolutely, Mr. Livingston needs to go to court and explain himself and prove himself innocent if only if he is. Because even the letter in question can be written by even good nine grade student in this Republic. I think the whole thing was a betrayer of trust, which someone like Mr. Livingston needs to explain to the Liberian people better

The 2011 Liberian general election was held on 11 October, 2011. The presidential runoff will be held on 8 November. President Sirleaf who received 44% of the votes in the October elections will face Winston Tubman who got 32.2%.

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You can also follow African Elections Project on Twitter and get election-related photos on Twitpic. The hashtag for the elections is #Liberia2011.

The African Elections Project was established in 2008 with the vision of enhancing the ability of journalists, citizen journalists and the news media to report and monitor elections.

Who will take the mansion key on October 11? Image courtesy of Africa Election Project.

There is also a Facebook group called Liberia Elections 2011 Media Monitoring Group:

Designed to discuss media coverage of the elections based on media monitoring results and alerts of on media compliance to code of ethics, journalism standards and conflict sensitive elections reporting.

Analysts, activists and political observers have been discussing Liberian general election in the blogosphere. Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij looks at President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's main competitor:

Sirleaf’s main competitor in the race to the Executive Mansion also is a Harvard graduate. The 70 year old Winston A. Tubman is a politician of Americo-Liberian descent. He earned a degree from Harvard Law School in 1966, then established his own law firm in Liberia. He also has extensive United Nations experience, most recently as the Secretary-General’s representative and head of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia, from 2002 to 2005. He belongs to one of Liberia’s most influential families, the name Tubman is well known to all Liberians. Winston Tubman’s uncle was William V.S. Tubman, Liberia’s longest ruling president (1944-1971). Winston Tubman served as Minister of Justice under dictator Samuel Doe and in 2005 unsuccessfully ran for president on the ticket of Samuel Doe’s National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL). In the October 11 elections he is the presidential candidate of George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).

Final rally of Liberia's ruling party. Image courtesy of African Elections Project.

The New Dispensation blog claims that Sirleaf will not be able to serve beyond 2013 because of medical reasons:

As the country goes to the polls next Tuesday, “The New Dispensation” was privileged to receive authentic report of the medical condition of the 73 year old Liberian leader that the President who is seeking another six year term was long diagnosed with cancer and recent medical check up indicates the cancer will prevent her from serving beyond 2013.

A family source who pleads for straight confidentiality to conceal their identity revealed this to this outlet that the President cancer illness was a long held family secret hidden from the public but recent medical examination the President underwent about a year ago came with a dismal report which has put the family on the edge as the report indicates the cancer will reach at a full blown and critical mass and by 2013, the cancer will incapacitate the President and eventually pass on.

The same blog says that the opposition decided to campaign on the streets of Liberia because President Johnson-Sirleaf refused them to use public facilities:

The party says they are forced to hold their final campaign rally on the streets to close the campaign season after the Unity Party led government of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first and only female President and a Harvard trained economist refused them the use of public facilities for their rally. Party officials say the Liberian government refused them the use of the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex and the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.

The CDC complains that the Unity Party government of President Sirleaf concocted a ploy to deny and refuse the party the use of public facilities in violation of the constitution and election laws of Liberia under the deception that the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex and Antoinette Tubman Stadium were previously booked by other institutions for unspecified programs, insisting no date was available on the calendar despite the many flexibility and options the party opted for to adjust to any date before the elections but instead, the Liberian government refused their options and adjustment

Chris Blattman discusses President Jonhson-Sirleaf's weaknesses:

I think her weaknesses are most apparent when you look at the persistent power problem. Eight years since peace and there’s not even a single and coherent plan to rebuild the hydro plants. The nation is run on generators. If you want a reason for a stagnant economy, that is a major culprit.

It’s less the power issue itself than what it symbolizes–difficulty finding focus and getting things done. I can’t shake the feeling that she spent more time getting feted international, and running a US book tour, than the big issues at home.

However, he will not be surprised to see her win the first round of election:

I nitpick a little. She has been solid and principled since she entered office, and strikes me as the best leader on the table. I will not be surprised to see her win the first round of the election next week. Let’s hope for a peaceful one.

Jessica Shor explains what makes this year's election unique for onlookers and voters:

What truly makes this election unique for onlookers and voters alike is that it is only the second election since the end of the civil war. That is also what makes it potentially volatile. Although Liberia has a blossoming civil society and seemingly strong democracy, experts point to the Ivory Coast as an example of how easily elections can go awry. In the streets here, despite public service announcements calling for peaceful elections, there is still a palpable tension. Many of the Lebanese and Indian merchants here say they are keeping their inventories low until the election has passed, and several have purchased plane tickets to leave the country during elections.

Few dispute that Sirleaf will win a second term, but uncertainty looms larger than poll numbers and campaigns (and witch doctors). There is an ominous sense that as much as Liberians hold their breath and cross their fingers, nobody can predict how the country itself will fare

E. Swen argues that Liberians have changed a lot since the last time they voted:

Seeing it Differently, I am convinced that the people of Liberia have changed a lot in the past six years. In 1997 the election was characterized by several slogans such as “there are more bad people than good people” or “you killed my ma, you killed my pa, I will vote for you.” In 2005, the message changed with a little twist. While the enlighten Liberians were saying, “shine your eyes,” the rest of the people, mostly young Liberians were saying, “you know book, you not know book, I will vote for you.” When the 2011 elections campaign was declared opened, the Unity Party surprised the entire nation with its major campaign slogan, “ugly bamboo wait small, the monkey is still working.” With less than 5 days to the election many Liberians, especially the other political parties are still finding it difficult to counteract this slogan.

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Yet many African countries are scheduled for elections in 2011-12 and the increase in female candidates is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for a continent that still struggles at times with fair representation of minorities in their political systems.

Clarisse Juompan-Yakam has written an in-depth article [fr] on the subject where she notes that the candidates share many similar traits: they are often highly educated, tenacious politicians who first got involved in the public debate as civil rights activists.

Niger

Juompan-Yakam writes that Mariama Bayard Gamatié, who lost in the recent Presidential elections in Niger, was unhappy with the lack of media coverage her campaign received:

Première Nigérienne à briguer la magistrature suprême, cette fonctionnaire des Nations unies attribue en partie à l’indifférence des médias sa contre-performance à la présidentielle de janvier dernier : 0,38 % des voix au premier tour, le pire score du scrutin.

Gamatié views her candidacy as a stepping stone for other women in the region to follow.

Bénin

Marie-elise Gbedo, presidential candidate in Bénin. Image by Benin-diaspora.com

One of them was Marie-Élise Akouavi Gbèdo in Bénin whom Mrs Gamatié joined on the campaign trail earlier this year to show her support. Mrs Akouavi Gbèdo did not win the election but she is now Minister of Justice. She helped make polygamy unlawful in Bénin.

Madagascar

In Madagascar, the actual date for the Presidential elections is not yet set. However, Mrs Saraha Georget Rabeharisoa is one of the first to submit her candidacy. Mrs Rabeharisoa is the head of the Green Party in Madagascar. The uncertainty about the electoral calendar [fr] does not agree with her:

L’Etat a fait des dépenses faramineuses pour les membres du gouvernement qui étaient descendus sur le terrain pour sensibiliser les gens à s’inscrire dans les listes électorales… Si actuellement, on décide de ne pas procéder aux élections pour permettre aux citoyens d’exprimer leur choix, on a fait des dépenses pour rien.

Saraha Georget Rabeharisoa, head of the Green Party in Madagascar. Image by http://hasinimadagasikara.mg

The environment, evidently one of the main themes for her political party, is one of the main headlines in Madagascar because of the infamous illegal logging of rosewood from the rain forests. Mrs Rabearisoa weighs in on the scandal [mg]:

Tsy ekena ny fitrandrahana tsy manara-dalàna rehetra eto madagasikara. Mikasika ny fitrandrahana ny andramena, dia efa nanomboka ny taona 2001 no nisian’izany voalohany. Tokony hisy hatrany ny fandraisana andraikitra manoloana izany

Democratic Republic of Congo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angèle Makombo-Eboum is running for the presidential elections of November 2011. She explains that if a woman is good enough to run a household, she ought to be good enough to run the country [fr]. She boasts a Master of Law from the Sorbonne.

Pourquoi le Congo ne ferait-elle comme le Liberia, la Thaïlande, le Brésil ou l'Allemagne où le pouvoir d'Etat est exercé des femmes. Les femmes sont capables de changement . La vie à Kinshasa donne bien l'illustration la plus patente…Ce sont les femmes qui nourrissent les familles. Elles font étudier les enfants.

Cameroon

Cameroonian Édith Kah Walla believes women have to overcome higher hurdles to convince their countrymen that they are competent for the job. Owona Nguini agrees with her [fr] but he also thinks that being a woman can be an important asset:

Le fait que Mme Kah Walla soit une femme peut jouer dans les deux sens..parce que c’est la première fois qu’une femme se présente et c’est rare d’aller jusqu’au bout de la compétition électorale. Ça peut aussi être un handicap compte tenu de la prévalence d’un certain machisme politique qui fait que la grande partie de la société ne voit pas nécessairement une femme à sa tête.

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