3:36am on Tuesday January 26, 2010. I was just about retiring to bed when I heard a BBC report about Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s intention to run for a second presidential term. I have always been a great fun of Johnson-Sirleaf but this particular report troubled me. “Why,” one may ask.
By that report, Ellen has settled into the mould of a typical politician. The same BBC did a playback of November 2005 campaign address in which the Liberian leader unequivocally remarked that she was not interested in a two-term presidency. And now in 2010, she says something that goes like, “I know where the country is, where we need to go and how we can get there.” Yes, it may be true that with the benefit of experience, she has a better appreciation of the issues confronting the nation. But my question is, “Didn’t she campaign with an agenda?” If she did, it is my unsolicited view that she should just focus on that and bow out gracefully.
Why are politicians (especially those in Africa) like that? Is Ellen saying that she wants to solve all of Liberia’s problems? She campaigned with a one-term message and now that she’s got it, she wants another. And hey, don’t get me wrong. It is her constitutional right to seek re-election but my beef is in the betrayal of faith. She should either rescind her decision and stick to her pre-election promise or apologise to the Liberian electorate.
After a 14-year civil war, Liberia does not deserve 180-degree leadership; leadership that says one thing and do the other. If President Johnson-Sirleaf really wants to serve the Liberian people, she could continue to do so when she leaves office. Here, I have to mention Nelson Mandela. After a first term presidency which was characterised by good governance and gracious leadership, Mandela still had enough grace to step down – even when the ANC and the South African electorate wanted him to stay on. Mandela gave up power. And he is an idol, the most respected African.
Politics is a noble endeavour but the likes of Mugabe, Bongo, Tanja, Eyadema and to some extent Kufuor (remember the ex gratia saga?), Sirleaf and Obasanjo (hope you haven’t forgotten his failed attempt to amend the constitution) make it ignoble. African leaders must give their people the best. They should show Africans some respect and stick to their word. Our leaders seem to have solutions to all our problems when they are in opposition, they forget the problems when they get the power and when they are supposed to step down, they all of a sudden remember the problems. Oh my!
Why is it so difficult for them to step down? Is it because of the chop chop? What happened to all the governance lectures they receive at Harvard (that’s where Ellen schooled) Oxford (Kufuor), etc? Barbara, a colleague in my MBA class said that “Whatever is there that keeps them in power must be sweet.” Sweet indeed!
Ellen must come clean and treat the good people of Liberia with some respect; Apologise and move on or step down when her first term ends.
