Tough Work Lies Ahead - President-Elect
By: Lewis K. Glay
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
Madam Sirleaf who addressed journalists at her Congo Town residence few hours after she was declared a winner in the November 8 run-off election, asked all Liberians to join them in prayer for the incoming government and the nation.
The President-elect, flanked by her Vice President, Joseph N. Boakai said the election marks the beginning of a new journey in the history of our nation, a history that has meaning far beyond our nation’s borders.
According to her, Liberians have won for themselves, victory over narrow partisanship, tribalism and other forms of divisions that have eaten the country’s fabric and plagued its people for so long.
She vowed to form a government that will reflect the cultural, political and ethnic diversity of the nation in order to lay the foundation of a new, strong, democratic and proud Liberia thereby reclaiming its pride and place it once again within the community of civilized democratic nation-states.
Corruption, she said, will be attacked while her administration shall efficiently manage the resources of the land for development purposes and the improvement of the lives of Liberians whom she noted have longed for positive change for all. Most importantly, peace, security, prosperity, human rights, social justice, equality and happiness were reflected as far as the challenges and mandate ahead of the new civil administration is concerned.
As African first democratically elected and president, Madam Sirleaf promised to conduct herself and the affairs of the country in a manner that will bring credit to the women in Liberia, Africa and the world at large “I hope, too, that my election will serve to inspire women everywhere. We have shattered the glass ceiling theory. And I hope women will seize the moment to become active in civil and political affairs here at home and abroad.”
Madam Sirleaf, following decades of political struggle in the country has become the 23rd Liberian President who will head the herculean task of uniting the devastated nation and its people after a prolonged civil conflict.
The ascendancy of Madam Sirleaf was characterized by two rounds of elections: October 11 general and presidential elections which was contested by 22 candidates including herself with no one winning outright thus setting the stage for run-off which was contested by her and George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
The 23rd president-elect was declared on 23 November 2005 at the historic Centennial Pavilion in Monrovia by the National Elections Commission (NEC) in fulfillment of its constitutional mandate.
NEC Chairman Cllr. Frances Johnson-Morris said Mrs. Sirleaf obtained 59.4% of the total votes cast while her contender Mr. Weah secured 40.6% thereby making the Unity Party flag bearer the winner of the run-off election which has been described as free and fair in the history of Liberia.
The international community specifically the African Union, ECOWAS, European
Union, the United Nations Mission in Liberia among others have already congratulated
the president-elect and assured her their all-out support as she leads Liberia
while at the same token called on Liberians to exhibit love and unity in
the best interest of reconstruction, reconciliation and development of their
motherland.
Representatives of the international community who attended the declaration
maintained that Liberians have demonstrated to the world that they have
resolved to forge ahead and work for a common goal- “rebuild the nation
from the ashes of war.”
Meanwhile, Madam Sirleaf has appointed the Vice President-elect Joseph N.
Boakai to head the transitional team that will liaise with the Transitional
Government for the inauguration of the incoming government.
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