Liberia President Wins Second Term by Drew Hinshaw, Wall Street Journal
By DREW HINSHAW
Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who assumed control five years ago of her war-wrecked country, won a second term that may be even more challenging as she attempts to form a unity government that could include a former warlord and his allies.
Ms. Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first and only female president, won 90% of the vote in Tuesday’s runoff, the country’s National Elections Commission said on Thursday. With more than 86% of polling centers reporting, she is statistically ensured of a second, five-year term.
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Incumbent Johnson Sirleaf received support from an ex-Liberian warlord.
Her main opponent, former Justice Minister Winston Tubman, boycotted the runoff and refused to recognize the outcome.
Shortly before last month’s first round, Ms. Johnson Sirleaf received an unexpected boost, a share in this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Weeks before the second round she received another unexpected boost—the endorsement of a former warlord, Prince Johnson, who has demanded 30% of all posts in her new government in exchange for his support.
Mr. Johnson commanded 12% of the vote in October’s first round and declared himself “the kingmaker” of Liberia’s second post-civil-war presidential election.
Outside Liberia, he remains mostly remembered for ordering and videotaping the 1990 torture of then-President Samuel Doe, who died after Mr. Johnson’s troops sliced off his ear.
Inside the country, Liberians also know him as a senator and the pastor of a church that claims 5,000 members. Liberia’s postwar Truth and Reconciliation Commission cited him for “killing, extortion, massacre, destruction of property, force recruitment, assault, abduction, torture and force labor, rape.”
Mr. Johnson couldn’t be reached to comment.
Given his reputation, Mr. Johnson’s involvement in her government stands to be “problematic,” said Gordon Bottomley, Africa Analyst at the New York-based research group Ergo. “If you continually promise positions to people in return for support and favors, then that’s the beginning of a patronage system,” he added.
A spokesman for Ms. Johnson Sirleaf, Cyrus Badio, said she is promoting national reconciliation by working with people from different “political spectrums.” Ms. Johnson Sirleaf hasn’t addressed whether she is entertaining the demand of government posts.
In her second term, Ms. Johnson Sirleaf has pledged to boost spending on public works to repair infrastructure battered from the 14-year civil war and to create more jobs for the legions in Liberia still without work. Liberia’s unemployment stands at 80%.
Ms. Johnson Sirleaf, an economist, secured $4.6 billion debt relief during her first term, part of it from her former employer, the World Bank, as well as the U.S. and European Union.
Her administration must also rebuild a police force and army to replace the 8,000-person United Nations peacekeeper force established in 2003. The mission’s mandate expires in September, although the U.N. may extend it on a year-to-year basis, according to U.N. spokeswoman Yasmina Bouziane.
“Most people are thinking that as long as the U.N. has a substantial troop presence, which it does have, then whatever happens, we’re not going to have serious trouble,” said analyst Stephen Ellis at Dutch research group African Studies Centre. “The problem is that the U.N. is not going to stay forever.”
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