Liberia’s
Elections
by: The Editor, November 21,
2005
Brief History
Founded in 1847, Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic. Liberia was
founded by free American slaves who settled along its coast. Liberia
experienced relatively calm until 1980 when Master Sergeant Samuel Doe
staged a military coup, and executed then president, William Tolbert
Jr., and 13 of his aides. This was the beginning of a downward spiral
in Liberia. The country that had know relative stability for over 125
years would experience another coup and eventually and a full-scale
13-year civil war that has killed thousands and forced many more to
flee.
Recent Development
In the last few years, Liberia has been relatively normal under a
transitional president, Gyude Bryant. Elections held on October 11,
2005 has led to a runoff election between George Weah, a former
international soccer star, and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, an economist and
former World Bank officer. However, results of the runoff elections
have been marred by accusations of improprieties leveled by George Weah
against Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf who won the runoff election. The
allegations, which include ballot box stuffing, are under investigation
by Liberia’s National Election Commission.
The accusations threaten to make an already fragile situation in
Liberia worse. Until the election commission has completed its
investigation, which is scheduled to be completed on or around November
23, a president cannot be declared. In the interim, the country waits.
What to do?
Based on the current situation, it seems that Liberia’s National
Election Commission can make one of two possible decisions as a result
of its investigation of the alleged improprieties. The first
possibility is to declare Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf the winner of the runoff
elections. This would make her not only Liberia’s next president but
also Africa’s first elected female president. Such a decision would be
supported by observations of regional, African and Western observers
who were in Liberia during the election to observe the process. These
observers declared the elections generally free and fair.
However, this decision is unlikely to be accepted by Mr. Weah. He may
seek redress in the Courts, a strategy he tried previously when he
attempted to halt counting of ballots after first accusing Ms.
Johnson-Sirleaf and her party of improprieties.
The second possibility is that the commission may declare the runoff
elections invalid and schedule new elections. Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf will
not welcome this decision, as she believes she has won fairly and to
invalidate the results of a fairly administered and competed election,
at the very least, can be seen as making a mockery of the process. It
would seem that whatever the decision of the National Election
Commission, one candidate will feel cheated.
Feelings of being cheated on the part of a candidates not withstanding,
a decision that invalidates the results of the election and calls for
new second round voting may help mend fences in a country that is
emerging for years of misrule. Liberia has known so many years of
horror that any step toward normalcy that ensures a smoother transition
is arguably preferable.
In light of this, a compromise may be the best approach. A compromise
that calls for new election in areas were improprieties are determined
to have occurred should provide the legitimacy that should be sought by
all sides contesting the elections. This would address any
improprieties that occurred during the elections while at the same time
saving Liberia the expense of a full runoff election. Performing
elections in a smaller area would also allow the Nation Election
Commission to exercise it’s efforts in a smaller area and therefore
ensure a smoother and problem free process. These should address the
concerns of both candidates.
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