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The legacy of Africa’s “Iron Lady”

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made history as Africa’s first elected female President following the end of Liberia’s 14-year civil war, but also faced accusations of corruption and nepotism.

Also known as the “Iron Lady” by supporters, she was named one of three joint winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

She was imprisoned in the 1980s for criticising the military regime of Samuel Doe and then backed Charles Taylor’s rebellion before falling out with him.

After losing the 1997 Presidential election, she was charged with treason, prompting her to return to exile.

In 2009, Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended that she be barred from holding public office for 30 years for support of Mr. Taylor who was charged with war crimes. She ignored the ruling but apologised for backing Mr. Taylor.

Sirleaf won the 2005 election run-off even though her opponent was arguably the best known Liberian and football icon, George Weah.

Despite the popular appeal of her opponent, analysts say she won because of her background as a development economist.

Just days before she was due to step down from 12 historic years in power, she was expelled from her own political party, but some Liberians say the best thing she did was the peace she was able to keep in Liberia.

“We don’t want no problem again,” said 73-year-old Kula Freeman, who apparently remembers the war in all its graphic detail. “We don’t want no wahala,” added a 65-year-old Kwa Sheriff said.

Ms. Leymah Gbowee who won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside President Sirleaf in 2011 said Sirleaf will always be remembered for becoming the continent’s first elected female President.

“In terms of delivering a women’s agenda, we really didn’t see that,” Ms Gbowee said.

However, the Harvard-trained economist did erase nearly $5bn (£3.2bn) in debilitating foreign debt after three years of being in office, paving way for foreign investment and boosting the annual government budget from $80m to $516m by 2011.

Some achievements:

On becoming President, she canceled and renegotiated a $1billion contract with the world’s largest steel company, Arcelor Mittal, which has since started iron ore production in the northeast.

Another $2.6bn iron ore concession agreement was entered into between the government and China Union, a consortium of Chinese companies.

Under President Sirleaf’s tenure a new, tougher, rape law came into force but was then amended, reducing the tough sentences and making it a bailable offense.

During her final weeks in office, President Sirleaf signed an executive order on domestic violence, protecting women, men, and children against “physical, sexual, economical, emotional and psychological abuses”.

She was however disappointed that a key part of her proposal, the abolition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) against young girls under the age of 18, was removed.

“It undermines the very essence of the law and leaves it incomplete”, Sirleaf’s spokesman said of the amendment by the Senate and House of Representatives.

Some loopholes:

Sirleaf has long come under fire for appointing three of her sons to top government posts, something she has always defended.

Up to 20 members of her family have had government positions at some point. As for the charge of corruption, in 2006 Sirleaf declared corruption “public enemy number one” only to be hit with a flurry of scandals.

Civil servants reportedly went unpaid; especially health officials in Lofa County in the North West of the country just as Ebola crept across the border from Guinea. The devastating virus killed nearly 5,000 people, leaving the Country reeling and its health system in tatters.

Despite all this, Sirleaf was a history-maker. Her Presidency may have been riddled with corruption and nepotism, but “One thing we can brag and boast of, she broke the glass ceiling,” said Ms. Gbowee.

“That’s a huge inspiration for women.”

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