Pressure Mounts on Liberian President Over Alleged Nepotism

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has vowed not to fire her sons despite accusations of corruption and nepotism. Two months of tension, including the resignation of Peace and Reconciliation Committee Chairperson Leymah Gbowee, have culminated in a call for the president's resignation.

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President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf addresses the U.S. council on foreign affairs.



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  • Sumo
    Nov 28 2012, 11:08

    The international community should now put pressure on this imperial dictator to fire her sons, cousins, sister, best friend, neices and all others who she has brought ot fill the governemnt. There are others both home and abroad who are suitable. Her family clan are so well educated let them find jobs in other sectors of the private sector. She wants to tell us that paying Binyah Kessely $15,000 a month for the Maritime is not corruption? How is he qualified for het job? His father founded the Unity Party of Ellen Johnson , that is his qualification.

  • TalkingAboutChange
    Nov 26 2012, 09:33

    Pres. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was on foreign soil (the Netherlands) when she said that she WILL NOT fire her sons. That statement in itself is an affront to every Liberian, educated and illiterate, alike. She basically said, I need to put my children in certain positions in order for me to protect my administration and prepare (groom) them to take over from me when I leave office --- Nonsense! Obviously, she DID NOT learn anything from the ultimate fate of her predecessors who practiced NEPOTISM and TRIBALISM. Personally, that is very, very sad for Africa's first female Head of State. As president of any democratic nation one has only one(1) task: Follow (or uphold) the law of the land to 'the letter', that is your oath. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has options; she needs to fire her sons and other immediate family members from her administration. The future of the Republic of Liberia and all Liberians as a collection is, by far, more important than any particular group of Liberians or one particular family like the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf family.

    One more noteworthy point of interest. The voice of the University of Liberia student community has ALWAYS serve as a Reliable Indicator for gauging the democratic status of every Liberian administration --- usually, if they start speaking against your administration, you'll ultimately fall. Beware!

  • Wathay
    Nov 26 2012, 12:30

    It is sad that after all the hard work at reform president Johnson-Sirleaf could make such an obvious bad judgement in the placement of her sons in such key government positions. I wish she would, for the good of the nation, remove her sons and continue with the good work she has started - even if it means taking a chance on others less qualified. She has been such an inspiration to me.

  • Semba
    Nov 26 2012, 13:14

    It seems that Article 5(C) of the Constitution does not define a law against nepotism per se. The provision allows for a framework that empowers the Legislature to enact nepotism law, a law defining and setting standards of what constitute nepotism. It can only be said that the president breaches this article where she stops the Legislature from enacting such a nepotism law but until the law is enacted, she can not be in violation of a law that does not exist. It seems that the Sirleaf saga provides an opportunity for lawmakers to carry-out their legislative responsibility by passing a clear-cut law against nepotism in government as a whole and not just one which tagets the president. But it seems that rather than deal with issue in earnest some lawmakers are only politicizing it. I'm sure many of them have their relatives and children working right in their offices. They don't have the moral backbone to bring about change.

    Pres. Sirleaf could be testing the morality of the society thru our lawmakers like in the case of the "Code of Conduct Law" which has remained idled in the Legislature for years now, shows that there is a problem with morality in our country. Lawmakers have no principles at all. None whatsoever!

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