Liberian elections: New generation leaders back the “mother figure”
Binyah Kesselly is the Director General of the Liberian Maritime Authority. He is in his mid-thirties and regarded as one of Liberia’s most impressive technocrats. He worked as a Vice President of a multi-national company in the USA and Canada before he was tapped by the Liberian Government to take charge of the important maritime […]
Binyah Kesselly is the Director General of the Liberian Maritime Authority. He is in his mid-thirties and regarded as one of Liberia’s most impressive technocrats. He worked as a Vice President of a multi-national company in the USA and Canada before he was tapped by the Liberian Government to take charge of the important maritime sector as part of its reconstruction effort. Keselly is an outspoken advocate of private sector empowerment as an integral component of the national economic agenda. His late father former Defence Minister Edward Kesselly was actually the founder of the Unity Party on whose ticket Mrs. Sirleaf-Johnson ran for office and won 1n 2006. In spite of this he says he is not politically inclined and he is noticeably critical of many aspects of Liberian politics.
He says of the challenge to Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf’s leadership, ”Madam Sirleaf has shown that she can work across boundaries and attract investment and confidence from the international community and create a structure that works. It will take an enabling and empowered environment to rebuild this nation’s infrastructure and create the kind of confidence that investors need to participate in our reconstruction efforts. She inherited a system that was “structureless” if I can coin that term, and she has made it her priority to build structures, organisations, processes, rules regulations and laws that serve as the foundation for the development of an orderly society. She has laid emphasis on laying this foundation.
Unfortunately in some regard we Africans tend not to be too big on understanding that we need to build a foundation before we reap the benefits of good governance. She has taken the ship of state that was floundering and given it a new direction and now she is steadying the course. She has been very clear that her leadership is transitional and that she intends to hand over eventually to the younger generation. Everything that she has done so far indicates that this is her main objective.”
Tiawan Gongloe is a lawyer in his late forties who is famous in Liberia for his human rights advocacy. During the dark days of the fraternal war he worked closely with Dr Amos Sawyer the Interim President and then suffered torture and near assassination at the hands of thugs in the employ of Charles Taylor, the rebel leader who became President before being forced out of office by insurgents. Counselor Gongloe was appointed Solicitor General by Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf and then was made Minister of Labour.
After some disagreements occasioned by a cabinet re-shuffle that he claims he was not properly informed about he turned down an invitation to return to the cabinet. In spite of this he says he still respects and supports President Johnson-Sirleaf and believes she should be granted her second term wish. He explains, “Over the last six years people have begun to feel a sense of belonging and responsibility for government actions. Take for example the issue of the budget; the budget has been openly discussed and debated in a manner that no one of my generation can remember happening before.
In fact the most important achievements in terms of governance have been occasioned by what Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf has not done. She has not used the draconian laws that still exist on our statute books to either intimidate or muzzle the media and public opinion. She has exhibited remarkable tolerance in her response to criticism and has shown a willingness to listen to advice that is unique in the annals of Liberian leadership. The respect that she has shown for the people’s views and for freedom of speech is exemplary. It is hard to imagine that any of those who want to replace her can match her record in this. Even if you disagree with some of her policy decisions you cannot accuse of her of being tyrannical in her actions. Given our country’s recent record she is still the best of the lot so far.”
Hon. Kofi Woods is at present Minister of Works. He too was a famous human rights advocate and is in his late-forties. His path to becoming the Minister of Works was dramatic. As Minister of Labour this highly informal individual proved to be ready to do battle with fellow government officials over the rights of workers and to be as outspoken and confrontational as he had always been. When the major cabinet re-shuffle led to his present portfolio it was seen as one of the government’s most daring moves.
Since then his Ministry has recorded remarkable strides in infrastructural restoration and instead of being regarded as a maverick Kofi Woods is now spoken of as one of Liberia’s future leaders. He says. “Those who claim that Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf’s time is up are those who have not been able to comprehend the depth of strategic planning that she has brought to governance in our country.
She has clearly changed the purpose of being in government from privilege to service and when they talk about replacing her it is clear that they are disgruntled over this qualitative change. She has laid a foundation that cannot be ignored and this is the basic foundation of her call for continuity. When she completes her tenure her record will be unassailable and the young people who are in government are proud to be involved in creating that legacy.”
Peaches and Marilyn are two young ladies in their mid-twenties who can genuinely be said to represent the popular “Liberian girls” who became famous throughout the West African sub-region during the civil war years. They are fashionable and very happy-go-lucky in their attitudes but at the same time they are very conscious of their national identity. Ironically while in 2006 it was believed that this particular group would provide a source of electoral power for footballer George Opong-Weah these young ladies say they pinned their hopes on Madam Johnson-Sirleaf.
This time around they are even more convinced and have joined a group known as Ellen’s Guards. Peaches were the more outspoken of the two, “I suffered a lot at the hands of my peers in 2006 because I was certain that Madam Johnson-Sirleaf was the right person to lead us. I fought many of my friends and even got arrested but in the end they apologised to me and today many of those who were on the other side have joined us.
This is because in her time in office Madam has shown us the importance of education and made us value our independence and value life. She is our mother and the true mother of the Liberian nation today. We know that like a good mother she can only do what is good for us and a lot of young people who didn’t know that in 2006 know it now. They will be voting for the first time and they know that she is the one who deserves their first vote. That is why she will win again. She is our mother politically and spiritually.”
Barrett wrote this piece from Abuja