An Analysis by Sherman C. Seequeh
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“I traveled on that road [A.B. Tolbert road]
today. Is Public Works Minister here?” President Sirleaf growled as she entered
the fabulously furnished Paynesville City Hall where throngs of women and
supporters stood in ovation to usher her to a Welcome and Thanksgiving service
tendered in her honor upon her return from Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday October
17.
“I will not travel on that road again, in
that state!” the President continued, increasing wild trepidation and alarm
amongst the audience. Then she said: “The Big Push for Development requires
that each of us has to carry out our responsibility to the fullest, whether you
are Superintendent, whether you’re an Assistant Minister, whether you are a
Director, whether you are a Minister, whether you are a legislator. All of us
have a part to play. And at the end of the day, this development that we’re
pushing for is something which affects each and every one of us, irrespective
of party affiliation, irrespective of where you come from. If we build a road,
or expand the power, or we increase water supply, it benefits you in your
community, I don’t care who you are.”
There are too many roads in the country—and
more so in the nose of Government right here in Monrovia. Many of the roads
remain in acute disrepair; some impassable. The President has travelled on them
repeatedly without venting such a fury expressed. Some occasions, as we saw
during the recent electoral campaign, President Sirleaf entered impenetrable
forest lands, rode in canoes over wild rivers, drove on swampy and rocky
routes, and walked on monkey bridges. The President has even travelled on AB
Tolbert Road “in that state” a couple of times. In other parts of Monrovia, the
President droved on roads similar to, or worse than, conditions of AB
Tolbert’s. So, what is new about
travelling on potholes-laden roads in Liberia, let alone the now talk-about A.B.
Tolbert Road this time?
The President knew that she had just left
Kofi Woods abroad where both had gone on state matters. She knew Kofi Woods was
not in the Paynesville City Hall. Yet, having ridden on the road “in that
state,” she asked, as if to muck, “Where is the Public Works Minister,” before
she corrected herself with, “I left him there [abroad].”
President Sirleaf did not forget that Woods
wasn’t in the hall. She did not forget Woods was still out of Liberia on a
mission she certainly must have known well. An academic and a longtime
political activist, Madam Sirleaf doesn’t easily forget the whereabouts of
trusted allies. She once branded Woods “my loyal servant.” But on this day, she
spoke, or acted, as if she forgot Woods was out. She did not forget.
There is something amiss—and intriguing—something
far more than A.B. Tolbert Road that the President was rather hallucinating
about.
Think about this: a leader on the Traditional
Chiefs of Liberia also made a remark that raised eyebrows. The traditional
leader said Kofi Woods always likes to act presidential. Whenever Government or
private contractor completed a piece of road or bridge, etc., Woods would
invite several chiefs and elders, and a huge attendance to a colorful
dedication program. Woods would disembark from his vehicle in the full glare of
the waiting audience, walk gorgeously towards the crowd and make big statements
that exalt himself rather than Government as if the project being dedicated was
a product of his personal sponsorship. What gave rise to that statement?
Whether Woods himself realizes it or not,
there has been wide speculation that he has got his eyes on Liberia’s highest
public office. And whether that speculation is true or false, any other
Liberian who has parallel ambition would regard Woods a silent opponent. But
Sirleaf is not a candidate, someone may hastily object, believing, as we say or
commonly put it in Liberia, that Ellen has “got no fish to fry” in Woods’
ambition.” I disagree.
Former Auditor General John Morlu recently in
a speech said President Sirleaf will not have much influence in who becomes the
next President. He said Liberia is not North Korea, where a dictatorial regime
has a succession plan and that our current President will become a lame duck. I
also respectfully disagree with the venerable former AG. Yes, President Sirleaf
may not be considered a dictator, and Liberia’s constitution may not
acknowledge succession plan for an outgoing president. But Sirleaf does have a
serious succession plan for many reasons for which she will not and cannot remain
aloof, or exhibit “lame duck” attitude, in 2016. Though her success plan will
not be realized, she got it--firmly--and will go all out for the kill for it.
The reason is this.
There is an amalgam of complexities born
during the leadership of President Sirleaf which portends rough landing for her
after 2016. And like every leader or ruler, Sirleaf wants a soft landing upon
retirement from the presidency. For instance, how will the next leader treat
the potential former President regarding the TRC report? The TRC report holds
her culpable not only based on her confession, which she later regretted, that
the NPFL rebel group should “level Monrovia”, meaning bomb buildings and maim
anyone to overthrow the late President Samuel Doe, but also her confessed
contribution of US$10,000 to the largest warring faction widely believed to
have visited mayhem and horror upon the people. It is estimated that 250,000
died during the civil conflict, many hacked to death, dismembered, disemboweled
and beheaded.
Secondly, there hangs a plethora of audit
reports; reports that provide seemingly empirical evidence of corruption--others
call it massive loot of public resources--perpetrated by the political
administration presided over by the President. So many scandals resulting to
loss of millions of United States Dollars took place, and these are
investigated, documented and reported by the General Auditing Commission and
the media. Several international watchdog groups, including Crisis Group, Panel
of Experts, Global Witness, amongst others, also alarmed about the scale of
corruption. On many occasions, President Sirleaf herself acknowledged the
rampancy or the uncontrollability of corruption. She has got no record of
taking stance to protect the Liberian treasure from fiscal piracy and pillage,
thus giving credence to critics who believe that this President who at the
onset of her leadership declared war on corruption must be in complicity if she
is not the prime culprit.
Thirdly, she is a longtime political activist
and given what the nature of crude African politics, some of the things the
President has said and done openly and in secret could resurrect, and they
could have post-presidential accountability implementations.
Certainly, all three scenarios conjectured
supra provide serious grounds upon which a critical or revolutionary-minded
successor of the President could call her to accountability. There are ample
examples around the world that both autocratic and democratically elected heads
of states were subjected, some currently being canned, to post-presidential
trials related to corruption, misuse of office amongst other things.
The Harvard trained and longtime
international civil servant, President Sirleaf, knows this very well and clearly.
This is why she has all reason to construct a do-or-die succession plan and
ensure that every asset, experience and expertise acquired not only during her
12-year presidential tenure but also since the last 71 years of her existence
will be amassed to give cushion to her post-presidential life.
For Kofi Woods, who is situated in the social
service infrastructure sector of Government, who supervises works projects dear
to the hearts and minds of the rural majority of Liberians, whose name is
becoming synonymous to the most tangle and visible achievements of
Government--roads, bridges, town halls, schools, clinics, etc.—his gait, smile,
frown, handshake and speech are bound to provoke some inkling of presidential
disposition, particularly to groups and individuals like the president who have
overt or covert claims as well as direct and indirect desire to the Liberian
presidency. He is therefore a justified, silent target.
And Kofi Woods and other analysts following
unfolding Woods-Sirleaf relations will make a sad mistake understanding the President’s
hitherto amiable, cajoling description of Woods, coupled with her seemingly
placid overtures towards him. To get a soft landing after a presidential tenure
ruffled by impunity, corruption and nepotism, and allegations of warmongering, President
Sirleaf will take no chances. She will turn, if she hasn’t already, into a
venomous viper ready to strike and inject the most catastrophic toxins of
incumbency and the sniper shot of the trained “freedom fighter” she has long
been into any soul showing an iota of sabotage.
While Woods, for reasons already stated, is a
perfect fit for the President’s scheme of things towards 2016, all other
current appointed public officials who are wittingly or inadvertently
discharging presidentially ambitious signs remain in firing range. And the
fires will come in various degrees and magnitudes so that the target, when hit,
is reduced to rubble once and for all, rubbed of every character, name and prestige,
and rendered totally unable to put up his/her hand to say, “I am a challenger
in 2017.”
Surely Woods, and others like him serving in
Government and widely or faintly perceived as ambitious, hang on threads—a thin
line of vulnerability—to the cataclysmic venoms of their boss’ succession
plans. How they unravel themselves from the looming sword of vengeance fit for
a separate piece coming out soon.
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