Another look

Roses by ebp: Can't smell them see them.

The New Man in Africa I

It has been raining for the last few days in Johannesburg.  Of course it is getting colder as well. The talk around the dinning tables, in the parks while walking the dogs, at the bar while trying to get a larger and in the car while driving to work, to run errands or just visiting nice folks, is that with so much rain, it would be a colder winter. Some say they like it when it is colder because one stays home more often and only go out when necessary.

Come winter, one has to start the whole project of making soup. Yes, soup in winter is so good.

So off to the nearest shop I go and got some lentils. I explained to the shop owner that I wanted to make lentil soup for my beautiful wife and she advised me on what ingredients to get. No doubt the lentil itself, then some fresh ginger, star seed, onions, tomatoes and other spices, I can't named since it is a special recipe for my wife only.

I recalled that my wife loves trotters, in Liberia we call it "pigfoot", except that the ones in Liberia are imported and salted. Here they are produced local and not salted. I got a couple of trotters from the shop, and got a handful more of spices.

In the kitchen, I set about the chopping and dicing, the grinding and mixing, the pouring and spicing. After a few hours, trotters is ready, soap is ready.

I run back to the garage (gas station in Liberia) and get some wood for the fireplace. I know that my wife gets cold easily and it would be nice to get the fire started before she returns from a day of many, many ANC meetings - muncipal elections are to be held in a month's time. Dashed home and get the fire started.

As she walks in, she noticed the fire and said "oh honey thanks so much for the fire"
I said "there is more where that came from"
She said "what more is there, sweet one"
I responded "the trotters you like so much and some lentil soup with a different recipe that I learned today"
and followed by saying "all this for you sweetheart."
She was so pleased to come home to a warm hearth, some well-cooked trotters, a nice lentil soup all made by her man for her.  Ummm, is this what the new African man is all about?

Africa Democracy Trajectory I : An Analysis of Elections in Africa in 2011

Election Fever Grips Africa During 2011

Africa, it is said, is a continent always gripped by paradoxes. On the one hand, its people are resilient and hopeful while on the other, its leaders are self-serving and do not readily respect the will and aspirations of their people.  Recent events on the continent appear to underline this perspective.

In La Cote d’Ivoire, elections were held and the incumbent President, Laurent Gbagbo, was defeated. He refused to step down. Instead, he ordered the Constitutional Court to reverse the result by annulling votes from a region of the country where he is believed to have little or no support. Dutifully, the Constitutional Court annulled about 400,000 of such votes and Mr. Gbagbo was declared the winner. The United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Commission of West Africa States (ECOWAS), a regional body, as well as the United States and European Union have all endorsed Mr. Alassane Outtarra, who was declared the winner by the Elections Commission, as the duly elected President of the country. Yet, Mr. Gbagbo has refused to cede power and step down. As a result the country is gripped by a political impasse occasioned by violence which has resulted in the death of more than 170 persons thus far. Gbagbo’s supporters including state security forces have been accused of committing most of the violence. The country appears to be on a precipice of returning to war. Numerous international efforts aimed at resolving the impasse have so far proven unsuccessful. Former President Thabo Mbeki was dispatched by the African Union to mediate but came away empty handed. The ECOWAS sent a team of three African leaders from Sierra Leone, Cape Verde and Benin, but Gbagbo would not budge. The African Union changed its mediator without any explanation and named Kenya’s Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, to mediate. He came away empty handed as well following his initial and second visits.

Meanwhile, in Tunisia, the people took to the street in protest against the military dictatorship of President Ben Ali, who came to power in 1987 following a bloodless coup d’état. He remained in power for more than 23 years through successive elections. All this time, he was supported by the European Union and the United States, which saw him as an ally in the war against terrorism. The World Bank and the IMF portrayed Tunisia as one of the most successful African country given its obeisance to their policies, which included Tunisia accession to GATT and the WTO, by entering into a  “closer relationship with the EU, under an agreement removing all tariffs and restrictions on goods between the two.” France and Italy are Tunisia’s two major trading partners.[1]

As a further commitment to the orthodoxies of the IMF and World Bank, Tunisia adopted policies in the areas of “low public sector deficit, controlled inflation and renewed credit-worthiness.” The country proceeded to, as well, privatized “a total of 160 state owned enterprises; while its stock market “capitalization of the 50 largest companies listed on the Course de Tunis was worth US$5.7 billion by 2007.”[2]  All this time, the personal fortunes of the Ben Ali’s family were handsomely multiplied while greed and corruption pervaded the political landscape.

Meanwhile unemployment and inequality increased.  As is central to the World Bank and IMF economic policies, the Tunisian government removed subsidies to the poor, resulting in “rising housing costs and weaker welfare protections.”[3]  Essentially, in Tunisia, as elsewhere in Africa, where these policies have been imposed, the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer.

It was within this context in the town of Sidi Bouzid that a young university graduate, Mohammed Bouzazi, who was also unemployed, found himself. Mr.Bouzaza a street peddler of vegetables had his produce confiscated by the police. Frustrated, forlorn and with no prospects in sight, he set himself ablaze in protest. Thus igniting what has be labeled the “Jasmine Revolution.” The word spread, the people came into the streets and the President abdicated and fled to Saudi Arabia. The protest has once again given hope in other countries, not only in Africa but elsewhere in the Middle East that people power can and do end dictatorship. Despair in La Cote d’Ivoire and Hope in Tunisia – the two sides of the African coin. The contagion has spread to Egypt, and as this article is being written, Egypt’s President, Hosni Mubarak may be on his way out; or would he?

It is against this background that one must see the myriad of up-coming elections in Africa in 2011. As they say for every two steps Africa makes along the part to democratic governance one giant step is taken backwards. This is not happening because African people do not want to take control of their lives; this is the case because of the prevailing circumstances with the body polity within the African continent – a result of history, of greed, of corruption as well as geo-politics and the doctrine of the free market.

During 2011 perhaps 17 or maybe 19, if Tunisia and now Egypt follow suit, elections will be held across the African continent. In North Africa elections are scheduled in Egypt and perhaps Tunisia. In East Africa, Elections are to be held in Djibouti and Uganda. In Central Africa, elections are on the calendar for Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In West Africa, elections will be held in Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Liberia Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe and the Seychelles. In Southern Africa, elections are scheduled for Madagascar, Zambia and probably Zimbabwe, where a constitutional referendum is scheduled prior to the elections.

It may be helpful to very briefly examine the state of democracy in Africa more generally before attempting a cursory appraisal of the upcoming elections within some of the individual African countries mentioned. No doubt, the majority of African countries have, at least at the theoretical and rhetorical levels, embraced the concept that democracy is the way of the future. However, the content and character of that democratic agenda remains highly contested.

Leading African commentators, activists, politicians and scholars continue to debate what form or forms should democracy in Africa take.  There are those who contend that Western Democracy is an imposition upon Africa. This view holds that given Africa’s history and the condition of state formation on the continent, western democracy is not the appropriate framework for governance. This view questions the relevance and even the efficacy of this form of democracy by pointing out a number of factors including the absence of class formation within which a given class interest is formed and crystallized and then canvassed among the electorates by way of political party formations. It is furthered that in the absence of class formation, ethnicity becomes the vehicle for political mobilization resulting in conflicts and in some cases violence and civil war. This view, as well, points to the absence of a genuine African bourgeoisie or a middle class, as some would prefer, to lead the democracy project. In addition, they posit the lack of industrialization on the continent more broadly with the absence of a working class. It is suggested that given the fact that the vast majority of Africans continue to eke their livelihood through subsistence agriculture and live in rural environment, western democracy becomes anathema in such conditions.

Another point of view suggests that popular participation sometimes refer to as participatory democracy is the preferred paradigm best suited to the African conditions. In the minds of its proponents, Africans cherish consensus over voting and that democracy, as is manifested in voting, is a zero sum game, where the will and interests of the minority or marginalized groups are vanquished. This view contends that community should be at the core of decision making because they are the ones who are most impacted by such decisions.

And yet the situations of African peoples are not all that different from the rest of humanity. Africans sleep, eat and shit; they give birth, marry and die. They have families, seek means of acquiring skills to become productive and strive to live a life of dignity. As a part of the human family, they are part of the world. They influence others and have been influenced by others. They have been oppressed; have struggled against their oppression and won their rights to self-determination, independence, freedom and justice. Therefore, it would appear most improbable for them to some how not be able to fashion a system that would guarantee the dignified livelihood they have so valiantly and gallantly secured for themselves.

Therefore the debates about the nature, form and character of democratic processes in Africa have to, as a matter of moral imperative, be informed by a number of values and principles found almost anywhere else in the world and especially in Africa. These values and principle can be categorized as follows:

1.      A constitutional framework which guarantees and protect the basic rights of citizens including the rights to assemble, the right to form association, the right to free speech, the right to information;

2.      A political system with checks and balances; that is transparent and accountable; with institutions that ensures rights are enjoyed by all and all are equal before the law;

3.      An economic justice system that assures affordable access to health, housing, education and opportunities to be productive;

4.      A secure environment that ensures the dignity of the human person, the right to a dignified livelihood, security of the person from violence and freedom from want and

5.      A developmental framework that takes into cognizance the protection of the environment or environmental justice and people-centered sustainable development.

 Yet, as things now stand in Africa, these principles and values are either being paid lip-service; are pursued haphazardly, if at all; or are ridden roughshod over by the powers that be. Just take a look at Tunisia, Egypt and La Cote d’Ivoire or even the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone. To be sure, there maybe some African leaders, who may be attempting to pursue these objectives tirelessly, but possibly unsuccessfully given the global imperative that suggests the absence of an alternative to the free market paradigm. This then brings us to the cursory appraisals of some of the recently held elections and the upcoming ones.

Uganda

In East Africa the most important election during 2011 may be the Ugandan Presidential and Parliamentary elections which are to be held on 18 February 2011. President Yoweri Museveni who has been President since 1986 is expected to win the Presidential election. Others contenders include Dr. Kizza Besigye, who heads the Inter-Party Cooperation, a coalition of several political formations; Mr. Olara Otunnu of the Uganda Peoples Congress and Mr. Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party. The Country’s 14 million voters, 3.5 million of whom may be voting for the first time, will also elect 375 members of Parliament. About 1,700 candidates are running for Parliament.

President Museveni seized power in Uganda following a civil war and has ruled the East Africa country ever since. He has been credited with maintaining the peace in most parts of the country, improved the economy and reduced human rights abuses. There is on-going conflict in the North where the Lord Resistance Army continues to pose major threats. A peace agreement between the government and the LRA was signed during 2008 but it has not yet come to fruition. In July 2010, Kampala, the capital, was a scene of a massive bomb attacks by Somali Islamist, who claimed they were protesting Uganda’s role as peacekeepers in Somalia.  Recently, the Africa Union decided to increase their peacekeeping troops to 12,000, most of whom will be contributed by Uganda. Uganda is a close ally of the US on its war against terrorism and has therefore received substantial support from the United States. High level American Officials including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr. Johnny Carson and the Deputy Secrtary of State Mr. James Steinberg, were recently in Kampala to meet with President Museveni and the opposition leaders.

According to press reports, opposition leaders said that a free and fair election in Uganda is not possible as President Museveni has established networks of supporters in order to rig the elections. They claimed that the voter rolls have been padded by “ghost voters”.  Dr. Kizza Besigye threatened that if the elections are rigged, he will lead a protest movement as happened in Tunisia and is now happening in Egypt, to oust Museveni and end his more than 25 years rule.

The London-based Africa Confidential reported that about 18,000 “extra election constables” are being trained to man the polling stations. According to the paper, “the mass training of young men in military science and political education… is a throwback to old NRM mobilization.” The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is the guerilla army that brought Museveni to power in 1986. Opposition leaders believe that these “extra election constables” are militias which will be used to intimidate and harass them.[4]

The discovery of oil in Uganda means that elections would be even more important as different actors seek to control the wealth which might emanate from its exploitation. This may render the politics more volatile.  President Museveni has been unabashed about the oil discovery, telling some of his supporters that he can not now leave power after oil has been discovered and even if he did, he would ensure that a stalwart of the NRM takes over.[5]

Uganda is one of the most important countries in East Africa and the result of the election is important in terms of stability in the region. East Africa is historically a theater of war and Somalia is a good reminder that peace and stability is a necessary condition for the people of the region. It is left to the powers that be in Uganda to hold credible elections or indulge in folly and rig the election thus creating the condition for violence in the country. With the discovery of oil the situation is rife for the return to full scale war.  The stakes are high indeed.

Nigeria

Perhaps the most important election in West Africa may be the Nigeria elections slated for April 2011. Although the recent elections in Niger, which ended military rule and probably set the country on a democratic trajectory is very significant for the region as well. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, where internecine violence continues to undermine the search for peaceful co-existence among its more than 150 million people. In October, as the country celebrated its 50^th independence celebration a bomb went off in the capital, Abuja. Scores were killed. A militant group in the restive Delta region was the alleged perpetrator. As recently as December 31, 2010, another bomb blast went off near a military barracks, also in Abuja killing more than 10 persons.

President Goodluck Jonathan declared his candidacy and will lead the ruling People Democratic Party. Amongst his rivals are: Nuhu Ribadu, the former head of Nigeria’s anti-corruption Commission under former President Olusegun Obassanjo. He appears to represent a generational shift in Nigerian politics.  He is a much respected anti-corruption crusader, even though some Nigerians believe that his prosecution of corruption cases were selective, focusing primarily on those who were in opposition to Obassanjo at the time.  He denied these allegations insisting that he only followed the available evidence. Another candidate is the former military dictator Mohammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change and Mr. Pat Utomi of the Social Democratic Mega Party.  Observers believe that with the plethora of political parties and several presidential aspirants, the ruling party, could likely win the Presidential election.

The history of electioneering in Nigeria has been problematic and the up-coming election may not be an exception. It is common practice during Nigerian elections for politicians to go on a vote-buying spree, hire thugs to intimidate, harass or even assassinate their opponents. Nigerian courts have ruled against the ruling party for fraudulently winning elections in several states and those elections results were annulled. In some cases by the time the court reaches its decision, the election calendar has come full circle.

Nigeria epitomizes the tendency among African politicians to see the state as a vehicle for wealth accumulation. The country has some of the best educated citizenry on the African continent; its citizens are extremely enterprising and are not adverse to risk taking. It is amply endowed with mineral wealth including oil. However, the vast majority of its citizens have not benefitted from these attributes. Whereas, enormous steps have been taken, in the last ten years, to make public officials more accountable to the people, the scourge of corruption and abuse of power continue to pervade the political landscape.

Entrenching a culture of democracy, transparency and accountability in Nigeria will have significant impart in the region.  It is not foolhardiness to suggest that if Nigeria can get its public policy to benefit the poor majority, the positive impact this will have on the rest of Africa will be impossible to miss. Will Nigeria and Nigerians step to the plate? Some would say, “don’t hold your breath”. But as they say in some parts of Africa, “time will tell”.

Central Africa

In Central Africa, the Cameroon election is one to watch. But once you are thinking Central Africa, it is unavoidable that you have got to check out what is happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of course, in the Central African Republic, the opposition is crying foul following its recent elections. Maybe, except for the opposition parties, everyone who caredto pay any scant attention to this forgotten part of the world, knows that there will never ever be any free and fair election in the CAR until the status quo is purged as was recently and successfully done in Tunisia. (The Tunisia example is now the new thing in town and we will beat it to death.)

To be sure, Central Africa demonstrates a host of  commonalities  easily discernible in African politics and electoral processes.  The first is that the incumbent will not entertain the idea of free and fair election. So we can expect Paul Biya to win in Cameroon and Joseph Kabila to win in DRC.

Second is the tendency in francophone Africa to consider the option of building a dynasty. Gabon, Togo as well as the DRC constitute this tendency. In all of these countries, the sons followed in the footsteps of the fathers, all of whom were, to be charitable, autocrats. In Senegal, it appears that President Abdullai Wade may in fact anoint his son to succeed him.

 Third, the urgency is thrust upon Africa political analyst to consider examining opposition leaders who have been heads of their formations from inception. In the DRC, Etienne Tshisekeda has been in the opposition, from like when I first heard of the Congo, as far back as in the late 70’s. John Fru Ndi, a rival to Paul Biya for the presidency of Cameroon is another. He has led the Social Democratic Front in the last twenty years. Some of his colleagues have left and initiated new political formations including Kah Walla of Go Cameroon (Cameroon O Bosso), the only woman candidate for President in Cameroon with grassroots support. In terms of Francophone Africa, this trend needs unpacking given the contemporary history in that part of Africa. In Senegal, Abdullai Wade a long time opposition figure came to power. His pre-occupation since he got power appears to be a penchant for maintaining power. Alas, he wants his son to succeed him.  In La Cote d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo was an opposition figure during all of Houphouet Boigny reign. He got power and as in the case of Wade, he seems pre-occupy with keeping that power. To hell with the country, Gbagbo just wants power. He held it for 10 years already but that is not the point.

In Central Africa, nothing new is expected to emerge from the electoral processes in Cameroon, and DRC. Central Africa Republic only just demonstrated that sad reality. Burundi and Rwanda offers the world a major challenge as well. In Rwanda, Paul Kagame continues to conduct the state of affairs on the premise that whoever opposes him is a genocidaire or intent on undermining state security. He is too much intolerable and takes extreme actions against his real and perceived opponents. Like Nigeria, political assassination appears to be a strategy in Rwandan politics. Recently, in South Africa, a senior military advisor to Paul Kagame  was shot. He did not die. His wife publicly declared that the Government of Rwanda was responsible for the assassination attempt. In Rwanda, journalist who have queried the conduct of the Gcagca process, a government controlled transitional justice process, and/or criticized government policies are thrown in jail. No doubt the government would say, they broke the law and the court found the journalists guilty. This is the rule of law. As they say in South Africa “finish and klarr”.

 Central Africa represents a cocktail of a complex and difficult politics in Africa. This condition is only made worsened by the armed conflicts in the region including the on-going war in the DRC and the low-level violent conflicts in CAR and indeed straddling border areas in Rwanda and Burundi. The unconquerable and irrevocable prospects for democratic entrenchment in the region are yet to be demonstrated in the region.

Zimbabwe

Southern Africa is one region in Africa where tenets of democratic expressions are being routinized. South Africa,  Botswana and perhaps Zambia are clear manifestations. However, in Botswana, only the ruling party has governed the country since independence but they have had credible elections throughout and different personalities have governed the country and smoothly transferred power. Indeed the current President, Ian Khama is the son of the country’s first post independent President, Sir Seretse Khama. In South Africa, the Africa National Congress has been in power since 1994 following the collapse of Apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela. South Africa is probably the only country in Africa where the citizens protest in demand of the rights to housing, education and employment yearly and get a measured response from the powers that be. The ANC-led government is perhaps the only existing African government that has improved, the social conditions of a significant section of its population it took power.  The government has constructed more than 2 million houses since 1994 for poorer and rural people.  Recently, the government has committed itself to creating millions of jobs within the next several years, it’s middle class is among the fastest growing in sub-saharan Africa; the media is free and robust, freedom of association is widespread. Political debates are informed, vigorous and robust. The country boasts the largest economy in Sub-saharan Africa, though largely owned and/or controlled by a minority white interest.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe continues to pose the most difficulties in so far as the political and electoral processes in the region are concerned. President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, does not appear to be willing to relinquish power. The coalition government, an outcome of the last elections, whose results were largely condemned by the opposition and Zimbabweans opposed to Mugabe continued rule, is not accomplishing the mandate spelt out the Global 

---

[1] The Rise and Fall of Tunisia’s Ceausecu; Lenin’s Tomb; January 16, 2011.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Africa Confidential,  Vol. 52 No 1; 7 January 2011

[5] Ibid.

Snippets from a Visit to Monrovia in 2010

Introduction

Early in 2010 (February 15 – March 16) I visited Monrovia, having been away for about 18 months.  I decided to write a journal - “The Monrovia Journal” - during my trip.  The articles below constitute the entries of the journal. These articles prompted me to continue to write and publish on events and issues occurring in the country. My writing is informed by a justice, peace and peaceful social transformation framework.  I hope you find it interesting, humorous but above all forward looking and optimistic about the future direction of Liberia, the land that is dearest to my heart and to which I am fully committed.

Usual Things on a Trip  

All the usual things happened.  My wife drove me to the airport.  Check-in was as it has always been with me.  I have this paranoid feeling that my luggage would be in excess.  I was bringing some wine, tee- shirts and other paraphernalia to Liberia as gifts for some family members and friends.  Fortunately, I had packed exactly 30 kilograms – 20 kg for the check-in bag and 10 kg for the carry-on, which is what is allowed on Kenyan Airways.

My wife kissed me and admonished “you behave yourself”. I smile at her and said, “Sweetie, I will” and furthered that “indeed, I would behave”.  Why wouldn’t I?  I love her so very much and feel blessed to have her in my life.

The flight took-off on time and the 5 hours 45 minutes trip over the vast land of Africa was mostly uneventful.  Transit point was the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. So far so good then another usual thing happened.  Our flight would be delayed for about five hours. What do you do with five hours on you hand>

Went to the lounge, got a cup of coffee and bought the Daily Nation and the East African newspapers.  Both papers are my most favorite newspaper whenever I am in Nairobi.  The East African, in my opinion is the best newspaper that I read regularly and is published in Africa.  It covers the economy of the region fairly, and the commentaries are well researched and written. There was a great interview with Chinua Achebe in the East African.  With The Daily Nation, you get a sense of what the burning issues there are in Kenya.

With so much time on hand, I took a walk into the duty-free store and headed for the spirits section.  I bought a bottle of Jameson and proceeded to the Transit lounge which is about 50 meter walk from the shopping area.  There were a number of Liberians who were also on the delayed flight.  Then the usual things happen. Loud hellos, garrulous laugh, huge glad-handings and the “what’s up”? “How you been doing?” Liberians were travelling from Thailand, Cambodia, China, and Ethiopia and of course me from South Africa.  I needed to know what Liberians were experiencing in these places.

A woman, with a child from Cambodia was married to a Cambodian.  She said he is a business man and was travelling to Liberia so her family and friends will meet her daughter. The guy from Thailand was “doing business” there and the guy from China - fully adorned in his hip-hop gear: baggy pants, sleeveless t-shirt, huge silver chain around his neck and those glasses that cover all the face - was also a “businessman” in China.  We were all coming home to see folks and incidentally to get the “new passport.” For some reason just saying the new passport wasn’t enough it had to be to get the “bio-metric passport”. The way it was being said, sounded, like some high-tech passport and extremely important to be in their possession.  So here we were, all Liberians, all suited and bound for home and country to get our “bio-metric passports” all of us were excited about how the new book will feel in our hands and how when we return to our adopted countries the custom and immigration officials will look at us with, perhaps, more respect.  After all, the bio-metric passport met “international standards” they reminded themselves. “International standards,” some how appear to be a very important measurement and meant that “things are improving” in Liberia.

Meanwhile, the Guinness and Tusker beer were flowing, the bottle of Jameson was opened, and fried chicken and rice spread across the two tables we had commandeered to establish our little colony in the transit lounge.  No doubt, we were our usual noisy selves; attracted the attention of the other Africans in the room. Curiously no white person wanted to come to the transit lounge – they perhaps prefer the shopping areas, other closed-by cafes and the corridors.

Boarding time came and the usual things happened. At screening one had to take out all metal stuff from pockets and put through the scanner; belts and shoes had to be taken off, and water and other liquids not sealed in duty-free, see-through bags were confiscated. Some luggages had to be taken away because the clerk reasoned that “the plane is too full and over-head space limited.” The usual futile resistance was mounted especially by the guy from Thailand who kept saying “you people should not steal my things ooo; I worked hard for them and you people always like to steal from us”.

We were finally bound for Monrovia, after all the drama, at last.  Well not really, we had to stop in Accra, where some passengers, mostly Ghanaian women athletes and staff persons, deplaned and other passengers embarked.  But before the passengers could embark, the plane had to be cleaned and vacuumed.  It took about an hour for all of this to happen.  There were many Liberians among the new passengers including members of the Legislature, the Government and some Press men.  After about one hour and forty five minutes, we started to descend into Monrovia.  From above one could not help but admire the lush vegetation, the inviting beaches and the lapping waves.  This was home at least, the place where one’s umbilical cord is buried. A sense of relief and contentment flooded the recesses of my being.

The Bio-metric Passport

So I checked into the Palm Hotel located at Broad and Randall Streets.  This is where our financial district is located.  From my hotel room, I can see the International Bank and when I look left I can see ECOBANK and next door is LBDI (the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment).  If you had the energy and walk towards Ashmun Street and look left, you will see Global Bank.  All of these banks and so many poor people. What’s with all these banks?  Last time I checked the number of Liberian depositors was less than 1 percent of the employed population. The Ministry of Finance is not so far either; give and take a few 100 yards. 

A local paper reported that during 2009 or was it 2008, the total amount of money that LBDI lent out to its clients was a miserly USD 2.8 million.  I guess this is what the lack of “absorptive capacity” means. That is the word the West uses when it does not want to really help poor countries. We lack the capacity and the infrastructure so we can not possibly use a lot of money.  Balderdash, if you ask me. If you do not have enough money to deal with these challenges you will always be poor.  Even as the Government of Liberia strives to improve the conditions of the poor, poverty level is deeply horrifying.

On a Sunday, I took a walk to the West Point Market. I am of the belief that if you really want to see how the majority of our people live in the big cities, like Monrovia, visit the market.  They all come to buy their food daily. They wear, on their tired faces and wary looks, the indelible marks o f hopelessness.  To me it really does not matter who says what about whom.  Just take a walk in the market anonymously, as I am able to do, even though not successfully. A woman looked at my sneakers and spotless white tube socks and said to me “please buy me two cup of rice.”  I was standing by the rice stand and buying rice for myself. When I turned to look at her she was certain that I could afford to buy her two cups of rice. I bought her two cup of rice and she said “God bless you and the place where that one comes from plenty must come from there.” She disappeared into the mass of people – people who were either selling or buying.  The cacophony was ever present as it always was when I came to the market with my mother way back then. “Kool-Aid here, sweeten your mouth.”  Or  the mobile pharmacist who was trying to move the medicine which he advertises as “all the dirty thing you are eating, can cause you problem, take the flagee and drink it, it will kill all the bad bad thing in your stomach that make you poo poo plenty”

Opps wasn’t I suppose to talk about the bio-metric passport? Early Monday morning, I got up and had my breakfast brought to my room.  It was fried eggs, coffee, toast and some fruit.  The fruit included banana and paw paw.  The paw paw did not look too attractive, first because it was peeled and second because it looked battered.  When in Monrovia it is good to heed to the mantra “if you can not peel it, do not eat it.” And if you do eat it because of some nostalgia or pretending to be like the people, you will shit your butt away for another four days.

I call my man to find a car that we can use for the day.  He brought a car that wasn’t, well to be charitable, clean.  But who was I to complain of such things.  Mary Broh, the indomitable Mayor of Monrovia, has been trying to clean the city; she is doing a good job. But I can tell you that as hard as she tries, the city can not be cleaned sufficiently.  I saw people working as early as 5:00 A.M. cleaning the streets of Monrovia and by mid-day, when the hordes pull into the streets, it was like no one had cleaned the streets that morning. Plastic bags, especially the ones use to wrap water, is thrown every where, littering is, well, the normal thing to do.  It is simply a big big market. And as a market, unless and until there is no one there, you can not really clean it; especially by cleaning you mean, to reduce the chance of encountering diseases.  In my first few days, I made a point of not straying to far from the loo. That was strategic as I needed it so much and so often.  An African-American friend of mine, who works in Monrovia at the moment observed that “talking about the texture of your excrement”, is acceptable breakfast conversation. So far most of those who cancelled their meeting with me were busy  “having diarrhea.”

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I was provided a form to fill-in; of course you have to write your first name, last name and middle name.  Then you will describe your eye color – it looks like all Liberians have the same eye color – brown. Then you indicate your height and any distinguishing features.  In my case wearing glasses is a distinguishing feature. Then there is other lengthy section in which you have to name a number of persons -  maybe between three and four - who can vouch for your citizenship; like your moms, dad, other family members, or an elder in the community.

Once the form is completed, it goes to the Immigration Office.  Ostensibly, you are to be vetted in order to establish your citizenship.  If you do pass the interview; that is to say if it is established that you are a Liberian, you go to the “bank” which is in the building just a few feet away from the “Director” of Passport Control Office. You pay your US$50.00 then you do the bio-metric thing; essentially fingerprinting your left and right thumps.  Once that is complete, your cash receipt is photocopied. You are issued a date to return and pick up the passport.  It usually takes three weeks, but as one of the staff reminded me the date is “tentative”.  If you desire or should I say so inclined, you can get a phone number you could call and you may get your book in a few days or just a week. The phone number is the way to “facilitate” the process.  No more “where the cold water?”. You shed a facilitation fee and you are off on your way.  For me, I am in no haste so I do not need to facilitate the process; as a law abiding citizen, I follow the law and wait for the passport to be ready.

Police Officer Burned by Mob

Ever since we were in school, we knew that on  the Capitol By-Pass  -  the blocks between Benson Street and G. W. Gibson High School (then it was a junior high school) - marijuana could be bought in the area. A walk in this area, at the time and even more so now, one is confronted with the pungent odor of the illegal substance. It invades your nostril and your right to fresh air is denied. Another new addition to the area is a brothel, an affront to our assumed sense of moral decency.  A Police Officer was killed in this particular area on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at about 9:00 P.M.

This is how the press has played out the story.  A local TV station that is located in the area broke the story as it carried live, the incident. It reported that an officer of the law shot a resident and a mob doused the police officer with petrol and set him alight.  He was taken to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The following Monday, newspapers carried the story accompanied by a press release from the Ministry of Justice.  The press release identified the officer as Chief Inspector Amos Tutu of the Police Support Unit (PSU).  The deceased resident was described as Mr. Preston Davis. According to the press release Chief Inspector Tutu had gone to the area to arrest a “criminal gang”.  The release never really said what, if any offense, the criminal gang had committed.  While in the apparent line of duty, the officer was struck with “an iron rod” and in “self-defense” the Chief Inspector shot Preston Davis. A simple case one might think; but it ain’t.

The Ministry’s press release appeared to be anything but a cover-up.  Any thinking person would pose the following questions: If Chief Inspector Amos Tutu was indeed in the area to effect an arrest of a “criminal gang” while was he doing it alone? The area in question is known to be a drug den, where a brothel is located.  The arrest was to take place at 9:00 P.M. The area is not well lit at night.  Certainly a lone ranger would think twice before attempting to arrest “a criminal gang” in their neck of the wood. After all, a criminal gang is not supposed to get arrested without incident.  It is a gang, they resist and they do not like the police.  They are law breakers and the police are hunting them down.  In this world, survival of the fittest must be at play: kill or be killed. Certainly, a single police officer affecting an arrest of a “criminal gang” must be aware of these variables.

This is a real problem.  The government is telling lies about a particular incident and in telling their lies, they forgot that there was an eyewitness to the incident.  In this case, the wife of Preston Davis was at the scene and her version differs remarkably from the Justice Ministry’s. Who would the public believe:  a grieving widow or a bureaucrat? The public, obviously believe the widow, her testimony appeared truthful. 

This is how she narrated her story.  She and her husband were sitting on the porch, “catching breeze” as they always do before retiring to bed. A passerby, with a flash light, pointed it in the direction of the couple sitting on their porch “catching breeze”.  The man on the porch said something obscene about the man with the flashlight that was pointed in his “face.”  The man with the flashlight, happens to be Chief Inspector Amos Tutu.  He also returned his own obscenities. He approached the man on the porch.  I can already visualize the pulsating male testerones bubbling in the veins of both men. Who will be the last man standing?  The grieving widow explained further, that the man with the flash light “sweep” the legs of her husband; he fell, she ran from the scene with her “baby” and while in flight, she heard “gun shot – gbo!”  When she returned to the scene, the man on the porch was in a “pool of blood”

Interestingly, she said the man with the flashlight appeared  “confused” and apparently transfixed, and said something like “Oh, what have I done?”  When the gun shot rang in the neighborhood, the mob appeared.  On realizing what had transpired they unleashed their violence against Chief Inspector Amos Tutu.  He was doused with petrol.  He was set alight.  Indications are that another officer, perhaps an “army man”, attempted to rescue the Chief Inspector, he also suffered the wrath of the mob and was wounded.  Chief Inspector Tutu was taken to hospital but died shortly thereafter.

A tragedy!  One night, two men, both fathers died tragically.  In our country, the people do not like the police; they are suspicious of the police and call them all kinds of name.  Public officials are known to also express doubts about the police.  What is not reflected upon sufficiently enough is the fact that on a daily basis, the police are what most members of the public encounter as the face of government. Each morning when the average person leaves his or her house and step into the public realm, the face of government most likely to see is the police officer.  The public harbor deep hostilities towards this face of government.  Does that say something about our public institutions, especially one that is supposed to “protect and serve”?  The deep hostilities and entrenched mistrust between the public and the police pose huge challenges.  As a radio caller to a talk show said what happen on Capitol Bye-Pass , “ does not augur well for our peace process and nascent democracy”.  Trying to cover up the situation on Capitol Bye-Pass proved to be a public relations disaster for the Liberia National Police.  How can this be corrected? How can we begin to convince the public to respect the police and for the police to respect the people?

Our condolences to the family members, love ones and friends of Preston Davis and Amos Tutu.  Their deaths were avoidable; if only we learn to respect each other – simple human decency is so absent in our civil relationships.  How can we re-capture that important relationship that affords us to live as decent human beings in a caring and loving society?

Mayhem in Lofa

Towards the end of February, Voinjama was the center of the news. Riot broke out in the city and by the time calm was restored, at least four persons were killed, dozens wounded, properties were looted, vandalized and destroyed.  The violent episode provided the platform for a lot of discussions.  As always, bromides spewed out of the mouth of persons, political posturing abounded and of course, commissions were set up to investigate, while multiple fact-finding missions were set up.  Have we not been down this road before? Why do these things happen the way they do and our predictable reactions don’t ever solve the underlining problems? Or is this the way a nation is governed; that no matter how hard you work at resolving issues, such violent implosion are bound to happen?  After all, even in the developed countries, a lone gun man may walk to a place of work and just shoot his fellow workers. Or a lone student would walk into his school or university campus and gunned down innocent persons.  Or a faculty member at a university would gun down her colleagues.

That may very well be the case but in the Liberian context, the Lofa event brings to mind almost immediately the sad stories of the war years. The political actors inevitably begin to engage in hyperboles, trading accusations, and apportioning blames.  They would get hoarse, sooner than later, and everyone will return to their hideouts and the conditions of the people will remain the same.

Generally, the Lofa story was reported as follows.  Students in the County had been demonstrating against what they believe to be a case of corruption.  The Government of Liberia had adopted a program to construct three junior colleges in the country.  The designated counties where these facilities are to be constructed were Lofa, Nimba and Grand Gedeh.  In Grand Gedeh and Nimba counties, work on these facilities had already begun but not in Lofa. The students reasoned that County officials may have misapply the funds; thus the protest.

Meanwhile, a female student was reportedly missing. After a couple of days, her body was found and several body parts were removed – an apparent ritualistic murder.  The body was found, according to press account, near a school not far from a Mosque. A phone call was made from the town, Konia, where the body was found, to Voinjama. No one has said who made the call and to whom the call was made.  It has been alleged that the caller said that a Mosque in Konia had been burned, this was not true. The mosque had been vandalized. The person who received the phone call in Voinjama decided to spread the rumour”.  Folks got incensed and ran amok burning church buildings, destroying lives and properties.  Another set of folks felt they were targeted and returned the favor, destroying mosques, lives and properties.  The media represented the issue as Muslims versus Christians and others attributed the violent events to ethnicity: Mandingoes versus Lormas.  Nobody thought for once that the perpetrators may involve the hoards of unemployed young people who mill the streets of Voinjama daily, without the hope of getting employed and not much else to do to eke out a decent livelihood.  The press reports did not talk about the possibility of former combatants, who are idle in Voinjama and may use any opportunity to do what they learned very well during the war years: looting, destruction and killing.

Some leaders from the County, in press briefings and radio talk show, suggested that the United Nations Mission to Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers  stationed in the area did not take all the necessary actions to prevent the loss of lives, destruction of properties and massive looting. They averred, as well, that the peacekeepers, who are mostly Pakistani, in the area were biased in favor of the “Moslems.” They pointed out that the peacekeeper was protecting a Mosque in the City, while the Churches did not receive a similar protection.  The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), Ms. Magrethe Loj, told a Press Conference in Monrovia that there was no truth in the allegation.  She said that one of the reactions of the UNMIL peacekeepers was to protect public buildings in the area.  Near the Mosque, where there was Peacekeepers presence, is the Police Station and the Peacekeepers were there to protect the Police Station.  Of course, the politicians would not accept this explanation; even though it appears to be the case. 

The opposition Liberty Party issued a statement in which they called on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to cut short her tour of Southeastern Liberia, return to Monrovia or in the least go to Lofa to deal with the situation. President Johnson-Sirleaf has been touring the Southeast.  She went to Maryland County, where the new President of the new William Tubman University (formerly a technology college which awarded associate degree now a full university) was inducted.  She has also visited River Gee County and Grand Gedeh County, where a “Cabinet Retreat” took place.  The fact that the situation in Lofa did not amount to a national crisis was lost on the Liberty Party.  What is more, the situation was brought under control within hours after it ignited, pointing to the fact that the response was adequate and calm return to Voinjama within the same day.  But given the alarmist undertone to the violence, the gullibility of the public coupled with political posturing by leaders and some citizens from the region, the Liberty Party thought to score some political points on this one.  Indeed lives were lost, indeed properties were damaged and religious houses were burned and vandalized but the Presidency is not a fire-brigade and cannot run from place to place to settle any and every discontent.  The less political posturing there is in light of these circumstances perhaps the better it may be to resolve them.  But politicians will be politicians and in the Liberian case, brinkmanship and demagoguery are central to the praxis.

The lessons of the Lofa event is quite clear to anyone who employs a pair of discerning eyes.  Unemployment among the young people of the country and the bleak prospects for employment is the real culprit.  No amount of reconciliation, peacemaking or peacebuilding will alter this sad reality.  Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategic Paper, which was imposed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on Liberia has to demonstrate that it can provide jobs for the jobless and give hope to the hopeless.  Yet the history of PRSP in Africa is that it has not reduced poverty  and in several cases it exacerbated poverty for example in Zambia. Four years into the Sirleaf-Johnson Presidency, poverty continues to be the central unresolved issue. Short-term jobs such as cleaning up the streets, brushing the side of roads will not change the conditions in the country.  Real jobs that pay a living wage and provide benefits that include a pension plan and health care is what need to happen.  Unless and until that happens more Konias, more Voinjamas will happen and we will blame it on ethnic and/or religious intolerance, we will blame it on one person or another but as they saying goes “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”  The devil is really busy in these parts.

Vulture Funds Prey on Liberia

The New Democrat Newspaper (Monday, March 8, 2010) ran a story that Liberia “Must Pay US$ 20M: Vultures Triumph”.  The story is about a case brought before a London Court by two investment funds which are referred to - in their line of work - as Vulture Funds.  The Court has ruled in their favor and as a result the Government of Liberia is to cough up US$ 20 million for a US$ 6 million loan contracted in 1978.  The loan was contracted by the Government of Liberia from a New York bank.  According to the terms of the loan, the money was to be used to “buy and develop an oil refinery.”  It was scheduled to be paid back in “seven years.”

In 1980, the Government of Liberia that contracted the loan was removed by force of arms.  Samuel Kanyon Doe became Head of State. We know the rest of the story: after the coup d’état, came the civil war and the virtual collapse of the Liberian state.

What are vulture funds? They are “private equity or hedge fund that invests in debt issued by an entity that is considered weak or dying.” Like the vulture itself, these companies are said to be “patiently circling, waiting to pick over the remains of a rapidly weakening” country or institution.  International anti-debt groups such as Jubilee/USA describes vulture funds as a “company that seeks to make profit by buying up debt in default on the secondary market for pennies on the dollar, then trying to recover up to ten times the purchase price, often by suing impoverished countries in U.S. or European courts.”

Even more disturbing according to Jubilee/USA is the fact that “these companies operate with little transparency; as shell companies (a company set up exclusively to pursue one goal – in this case, poor country debt).” They usually “set up tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands to avoid financial constraints and oversight.  Because of this, most funds have limited or no information on who manages them and their actions.”

Jubilee/USA points out that these companies prey on countries that embrace the IMF/World bank imposed policy known as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, which the Liberian Government has slavishly embraced. The IMF and the World Bank compelled countries who are seeking debt relief to undertake this economic reform package as the solution to their debt problems.  Countries which are referred to as the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) such as Liberia must under-take this one-size-fits-all economic dictate.

In 2007 the very institution – that is the IMF - that urged this failed policy on Liberia reported that almost half of HIPC countries, where survey was conducted, have fallen victims to Vulture Funds.  Of the 46 different vulture funds that have sued HIPC countries, 25 of them received about US$ 1 Billion on loans worth under US$ 0.5 billion.  In the liberal economic framework that is touted by the powers that be in Liberia, this is good business.  It is called the free-market system.  I am not sure what is free about an opaque entity called Vulture Funds that gleefully seeks to deny poor people the opportunity to rise out of their impoverished conditions.

Yet, we have always been told that “where the leaders do not have vision, the people perish”.  No doubt, the President of Liberia worked at a senior level in the Ministry of Finance in 1978. She may have known that this loan was contracted. By the way, she is among those who set up the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company.  Was this undertaken part of that loan deal? Thus, it may not come as a surprise to her that she now has to fork out US$ 20 million to pay a loan of only $6 million. If this money is paid, the leaders who run Liberia will not lose any of their privileges: they would still be able to fly abroad for medical check-ups and send their children abroad for a good education, in addition to attending their graduation, when they complete. It is the poor people of Liberia who will be denied health care, education and an enabling environment that would have made it easier for them to lift themselves out of the crippling and horrifying poverty to which they have been condemned.

When the IMF and World Bank began their forays into Liberia after the end of the war, some, among us, argued that Liberia’s debt fell within the orbit of the “odious debt” regime. Our debts were contracted by governments which were not duly elected by the Liberian people and the money was spent in ways that did not improve the material conditions of our people.  During the True Whig Party reign, only people with titled deeds had the right to vote.  There was no universal suffrage.  Therefore, President Tolbert did not enjoy any legality, or is it legitimacy, in terms of his governance of the Republic. President Doe stole the 1985 elections. He, as well, did not have any legitimacy to run the Republic.  What is more, the money he may have borrowed not only did not improve the material conditions of the Liberian people, he used the money to terrorize (yes I am using the word), harass, humiliate and kill the Liberian people.  So who owes whom? The illegitimacy of these two Presidents was known to all and sundry.  It was manifestly clear that no improvement happened as a result of the contracted loans; so why hold the Liberian people responsible for making a bad loan to the wrong people?

The poverty of public policy formation in Liberia has Government officials embracing frameworks, which ultimately harm the best interest of the people of Liberia. Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (Guerilla leader, Jolo Wylie, calls it Liberia’s Poverty Reproduction Strategy Papers) will not reduce poverty; it has not done so in any African country, where it has been implemented. No doubt there are improvements in Liberia in terms of rebuilding hospitals, schools and market places, roads and bridges are being repaired. None of these have had a significant impact on Liberia’s unemployment problems.  The private sector, which the government sees as “engine of growth” will not deliver the jobs that Liberians have to have in order to improve their material circumstances.

After World War II, Germany’s debt was cancelled because it was argued that Adolf Hitler had used the debt to oppress the German people.  The first time the “odious debt” concept was applied.  Former Secretary of State, James Baker told the world community that Iraq’s debt should be cancelled since Saddam Hussein did not use the money to improve the conditions of Iraqis.  Tolbert and especially Doe borrowed money that was not used to improve the lives of Liberian poor majority.  You will think that “what is good for the goose, is good for the gender.” Not so; the vulture funds are getting richer and the Liberian people are getting poorer.  Thanks to the fact that our leaders are not making the crucial decisions that need to be made in order that the livelihood of the Liberian people is made dignified. The global anti-debt campaigner continues to remind us that the poor people of the global south “Don’t Owe, Wont Pay.”

And so how is Monrovia

Monrovia is busy. Monrovia is as it should be, considering the tough times it has undergone. Yet, things are improving.  The streets are cleaner: as early as 5:00 A.M. street cleaners are busy at work trying to make the city clean. It is still a big market town, but the market folks do not crowd out the cars on some of the major streets (Randall, Mechlin and Gurley) as they used to in say, 2007. The people are not as desperate as they were, say around 2005.  Fewer people now, when you meet them, ask you for money; even the “don boscoe boys” are not as abusive or aggressive when they beg you as they used to be.  The city looks more congested; traffic is more tedious but this is due to the fact that the roads in Monrovia are being re-conditioned and some have to be shut down. Thus, more vehicles are plying fewer roads. As well, there are more luxurious vehicles now, the up and coming young women in the city, all seem to be driving sport utilities vehicles – even if the average age of the vehicle is 10 years...

Take a drive from the University of Liberia along the Tubman Boulevard, and I bet you, you will not see a single pot-hole.  In fact several side streets have been re-conditioned.  The Jallah Town Bye-Pass, the Old Road, SD Cooper Road and the A.B. Tolbert Road are all paved and have reduced the traffic congestion towards and from Paynesville. The price of petrol has fallen or at least is stable.  There are several modern petrol filling stations, thanks to the presence of Total, a French Petrol retailer company, which has built about seven such stations: two on Tubman Boulevard and two along the Gardnerville Freeway (do not ask me why this is call the freeway since it is just two lanes and perhaps less than 5 miles); two along the Robertsfield Highway and one when you go pass Douala Market.

The Hataye shops are still busy, but they appear to loose their cutting edge and boisterous debates on issues of national concern.  It appears that but for corruption issues, there is not much else to talk about; except European football. They have even decreased in numbers and the amount of on-lookers/passer-bys they attract.  However, the call-in talk shows continue to be robust and people have a sense that they need to talk about their living conditions and prevail on the powers-that- be to intervene – as in the “Good Morning Madame President” show. At times, the criticisms of the government can be caustic but there is a general acknowledgement that things are indeed improving. On one of such talk shows, where the host is a little bit, should I say, discourteous and condescending, callers hurl invectives at her.  In fact one morning a caller used the f--k word. Interestingly, subsequent callers apologized for the previous caller’s use of the f word.  What this demonstrates is that talk show hosts need to appreciate their audiences and not refrain from assuming an air of superiority. From the attitude of folks and the things they want to talk about and are concerned about, Monrovia may very well be on its way to becoming an egalitarian city.

There are many more hotels in the city than a few years ago.  The Chinese appears to be leading this growth.  Spa and massage parlours are mushrooming at some of these new places.  Yet, I can not but assume that there may be more going on than meet the eyes. Perhaps, and this is an informed guess, they are providing “comfort women” for the tens, if not hundreds of Chinese workers in the country. As always, the drinking places abound and the beer can be chilly-pissy. Yet night life, in central Monrovia is not so exciting; they say the oldma is “mean”, as fewer people can afford to hang out.  But on the other hand, folks may simply be hanging out in their neck of the wood.

Many new houses are being constructed.  The Robertsfield Highway is a clear example of this development.  In my view, the country is architecturally challenged; as the homes are grotesquely built and a painful sight to behold but they are building nonetheless.  Even on Bushrod Island, more and newer warehouses are under construction but this time around, apartments are being built above these warehouses. I am sure this may be happening across the country as there are more importers of cement and the price appears to be stable – somewhere around or below US$10.00 per bag.  Oops, did not mention the numerous new market buildings that have been constructed or renovated across the county; thanks to a fund established by President Sirleaf.

The politicians are bracing themselves for the upcoming elections in 2011 (will do a piece on the electoral threshold build subsequently).  Already three candidates have declared their desires to run for the presidency.  The incumbent, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has declared that she will be a “formidable” candidate. What that really means is anyone’s guess – as she will have to run on her record of achievement or lack thereof.  By the way, “formidable” has become a much used word in Monrovia now as “concomitant” was during the Sawyer period. Another candidate, Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh, has said that he is “not formidable but credible” and declared himself the candidate of the “poor people”. Given that almost everyone in the country is poor, it will be telling how much support he gets. In the past, he did not garner more than one percent of the votes. The third candidate, Senator Prince Johnson, has said that once elected he will not include “book people” in his government.  Sounds like the George Weah battle cry in 2006 “you know book you na know book, we will vote for you.”   A refreshing development is the apparent intention of a couple of young and capable persons to canvass for seats in the Legislature. As well, debates are beginning among the enlightened class that there is a need for a generation shift in Liberians politics.  The thinking is that the current corps of leaders in the country including the leaders of the opposition have outlived their usefulness; if they had any.  How this manifest itself is yet to be determined.  So there you go for the political atmosphere. 

Monrovia is getting better and better by the day and I am sure that things can only improve given the pace of reconstruction and development work going on.  This does not mean that living conditions are significantly improved.  However, there is no doubt in my mind that the scars of the war years are disappearing – albeit painfully slow; people’s hope in the future is being entrenched and the country is beginning to visualize what a peace dividend looks like. The current government can make claims about these developments; since for the most part, they are happening under their watch.  Yet, the road to sustained peace and development is long and arduous.  It may take at least two generations for the Liberian people to see significant improvements in their material circumstances.  That is why 2011 is so important and why those contesting the presidency may do well to keep in mind. In the words of Archbishop Michael Francis, I am an “incurable optimist” and I believe the future of Liberia is bright.