Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Thursday mounted a firm defense of her 12-year presidency, telling lawmakers she has no regrets about her time in office and "makes no apology to anybody or anything" for decisions taken while leading Liberia through postwar reconstruction.
"I did my best under the extenuating circumstances and conditions that we all know so very well," Sirleaf told members of the House of Representatives during a rare address to plenary. "I served my country with dedication and with honesty. I therefore make no apology to anybody or anything. My record stands by me, and history will be the judge."
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The remarks, delivered on Capitol Hill in what House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon described as a historic engagement between a former head of state and sitting lawmakers, combined reflection on Sirleaf's controversial but consequential presidency with a pointed appeal for lawmakers to tackle structural reforms she said remain critical to Liberia's long-term stability.
Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said she deliberately avoided delivering a ceremonial speech and instead used the opportunity to spotlight policy areas that require urgent legislative action.
"This invitation is an unprecedented historical decision," she told lawmakers. "But rather than speak in generalities, I want to highlight issues that demand attention if Liberia is to move forward."
Citizenship law under scrutiny
Among the reforms Sirleaf urged lawmakers to revisit is Article 27 of Liberia's Constitution, which limits citizenship to persons "who are Negro or of Negro descent."
The former president argued that, while the provision reflects Liberia's historical origins as a homeland for freed slaves, the country must now examine whether aspects of its constitutional framework remain suited to the realities of a modern global economy.
She referenced earlier constitutional reform efforts led by the late Dr. Amos Sawyer, Liberia's interim leader in the early 1990s, noting that despite several national debates over reform, the citizenship clause has remained unchanged.
"Liberia today is above where we were at independence," Sirleaf said, suggesting that the Legislature must confront difficult constitutional questions if the country hopes to compete with other emerging African economies.
Land conflicts and idle property
Sirleaf also warned lawmakers that land governance remains one of Liberia's most volatile policy challenges.
Across the country, land disputes continue to fuel legal battles, community tensions and investment uncertainty, she said, while large parcels of land remain unused.
"The issue of land is causing serious problems in the country," she told the chamber.
Sirleaf suggested that policymakers must find ways to encourage or compel owners of idle land to put those properties to productive use, arguing that the government may need to invoke eminent domain powers in certain circumstances to address the issue.
The comments come as land disputes remain among the most frequent sources of litigation and local conflict across Liberia.
Concern over Monrovia's urban decline
Turning to the condition of Liberia's capital, Sirleaf expressed concern about the gradual deterioration of Monrovia's urban planning and infrastructure systems.
Recalling the capital's earlier decades of orderly zoning and recognizable landmarks, she said the city now faces increasing pressure from unregulated construction, informal settlements, and weak enforcement of municipal planning rules.
She said stronger legislative backing would be needed to support reforms aimed at restoring order to urban development and improving the capital's infrastructure.
Liberianization policy weakening
The former president also raised alarm about what she described as the erosion of Liberia's "Liberianization policy," historically designed to reserve certain sectors of the economy for Liberian citizens.
According to her, some foreign groups now dominate areas that were once intended to support local entrepreneurs, particularly in sectors connected to natural resource extraction and small-scale commercial activity.
She cited concerns about environmental damage along Liberia's beaches and waterways caused by non-citizen operators engaged in sand mining and other activities.
"No country will allow this to happen, and neither should we," she said, urging lawmakers to strengthen policies that protect Liberian businesses and natural resources.
Push for stronger political party regulation
Sirleaf also called for clearer legal frameworks governing Liberia's political parties, arguing that stronger enforcement mechanisms could help promote accountability and internal organization within the country's multi-party system.
Liberia's political landscape has often been characterized by weak institutional structures and shifting alliances, a dynamic Sirleaf suggested could be addressed through more robust legislation.
Women's representation "an embarrassment"
But Sirleaf reserved some of her strongest criticism for the low number of women serving in Liberia's Legislature.
Currently, only nine women serve in the 73-member House of Representatives, while two women sit in the 30-member Senate, a disparity she described as deeply troubling.
"This embarrasses me. It embarrasses women in Liberia. It embarrasses women in Africa and worldwide," Sirleaf said.
She urged lawmakers to consider legal mechanisms, including quota systems or other policy measures, to expand women's participation in political leadership.
Speaker praises Sirleaf's legacy
In response, Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon praised Sirleaf's contributions to Liberia and described her appearance before the House as an important moment of national reflection.
He said the issues she highlighted, from citizenship laws to land governance and economic participation, are central to Liberia's national development.
"Leadership is more than holding office," Koon said. "It is about leaving behind ideas and institutions that contribute to the nation long after one's tenure."
The Speaker also announced that the Legislature would confer a special citation honoring Sirleaf for her service to the country.
A presidency shaped by crisis and reform
Sirleaf served as Liberia's president from 2006 to 2018, taking office after two brutal civil wars that devastated the country's infrastructure, economy and institutions.
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Her administration oversaw major initiatives aimed at stabilizing the economy, restoring international credibility and rebuilding basic governance systems.
Under her leadership, Liberia secured historic debt relief exceeding $4 billion, allowing the country to exit the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and reset its fiscal position.
Her government also enacted landmark legislation, including West Africa's first Freedom of Information law, expanded access to primary education, and launched post-war reconstruction projects across critical infrastructure sectors.
Sirleaf's presidency was also marked by formidable challenges, including the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic, which claimed thousands of lives in Liberia and neighboring countries and severely strained the country's health system.
Before reaching the presidency, her political career spanned decades of activism, exile and electoral contests. She ran for vice president in the disputed 1985 elections under the military regime of Samuel Doe, was imprisoned for sedition after criticizing the government, and later fled into exile.
She contested the presidency unsuccessfully in 1997, finishing second to Charles Taylor, before ultimately winning the 2005 presidential election, defeating football icon George Weah in a runoff and becoming the first woman elected president in Africa.
She won reelection in 2011, a campaign that coincided with her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni activist Tawakkol Karman.
