26 November 2009
The county of Montserrado, and perhaps the entire country, stood still in the last twenty-four hours awaiting results from a marathon senatorial by-election. Political activities in the last three months had been nerve-racking as various political interests intensify efforts to grab the senatorial seat rendered vacant by the death of Hannah Brent who won the seat in 2005 on the ticket of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).

The battleground was the nation's premium province--Montserrado County. It shook terribly and both the antagonists and the electorates felt the internecine impact. The D-Day was Tuesday, November 24. Hearts palpitated, as the titans clashed fiercely, one political bloc flexing its muscles nearly to elastic limit.

The ruling Unity Party, reinforced by desperate attempt to clinch victory so as to prove a political point and firmly underpinned by incumbency advantage, brought to bear its full weight upon the CDC's candidate.

But after a period of tumultuous electoral aggression, CDC's Geraldine Doe-Sheriff, only a middle-level staff at the LPRC emerged victorious. On the portals of legislative politics, what does she bring both as burdens (in terms of electoral promises and allegiances) and hope (in terms of capacity and experiences) to the herculean new job?

The Analyst reports.

The Victory

CDC's "Iron Lady" Geraldine Doe-Sheriff has emerged victorious in the Montserrado by-election. Declaring the CDC victory yesterday, following the counting of the last ballot of the election, the National Elections Commission Chairman James Flomoyan said Madam Doe-Sheriff captured the total of 58,248 representing 56.0% of 104,248 valid votes counted.

According to the Elections Commission, second runner-up Clemenceau Blayon Urey of the ruling Unity Party slashed out 45,864 votes or 44.0%. The final scores now settle the dust of electoral hostilities which has engulfed what political commentators call the biggest by-election since the advent of the Sirleaf-led post-conflict government.

The Iron Lady and her populous CDC triumphed in the first round of the by-election in which nine other political parties and independent candidates contested the post, which a 2005 victor on the CDC ticket, Hannah Brent, left vacant due to death. The contest was unusually fierce, as many political pundits and the contesting interests themselves considered a prologue to 2011 presidential and general elections also regarded a watershed in the post-war country's democratic consolidation efforts.

The crèmes of Liberia's opposition, who badly needed a CDC victory to justify their criticism that, amongst other things, the ruling Party faces political legitimacy crisis for failure to deliver on its promises, arrayed their moral and technical supports behind Madam Sheriff and her CDC.

Those involved in the amalgamation of forces with the Congress for Democratic Change included the Liberty Party, former ruling National Patriotic Party, New DEAL Party, National Vision Party of Liberia, Liberia National Union, Progressive Democratic Party, amongst others. The ruling Unity Party put up a brave fight, already strengthened by an earlier merger with two outstanding political parties, the Liberia Action Party and the Liberia Unification Party.

But it appeared the conglomeration of the opposition was too hot to handle, such that the last minute nocturnal door-to-door crusade headed by President Sirleaf herself could not pay off. When polls closed on Tuesday evening and the NEC began counting the ballots cast, total silence swept across the county until trickles of progressive results ignited smiles in the opposition camp--smiles that never ceased until Chairman Flomoyan official broke the news.

Hardly did Flomoyan ended reading his verdict when spontaneous ululation spread in the streets and communities of Monrovia, perhaps including other outlaying districts of Montserrado, amongst supporters of the CDC and its political collaborators.

Burdens of Promises

While it may be true that the populace nature of the CDC, coupled with the overwhelming approbation from the broad-spectrum of the opposition bloc, would hardly have failed Madam Sheriff, the victory was not earned on a silver platter. Some pundits argue that despite the seemingly insurmountable force of the opposition bloc, Geraldine Doe-Sheriff and her CDC's political adroitness and dexterity provided an attractive political package that was easy to sell.

Perhaps the analysts are referring to the gamut of promises and allegiances weaved with the Candidates' moral, political and academic standings to make a buyable campaign case in the last two months. The thesis and key vision consummated into the campaign package of the CDC candidate "is to provide proper representation for the people of Montserrado County by remaining a loyal servant," and pledging to remain unblemished by corruption.

When the senatorial race is won by the CDC, "We will join with likeminded and progressive minds both within and without the Liberian Senate to draft, sponsor and support legislation which will address the problems facing the County and Liberia as a whole. And we pledge to ensure that the citizenry are involved in the decision-making process and not have edicts handed down to them," Madam Doe-Sheriff pledged to the people of Montserrado County.

She and her CDC fortress assured the electorates that they would commit themselves to work constructively to pass laws which will seek to support education; ensure equal rights before the law and the protection of our Constitution; preserve and protect the rights of the people and the nation; clean up the corrupt societal, economic and political systems; create an environment where Liberians will live in peace and harmony with one another; and where the people can maximize their potentials and achieve their goals.

Promises and vows made during the electoral campaign which also might have wooed or hypnotized the 58,248 voters to cast their ballots in favor of the Madam Sheriff included to promote economic development, growth and independence; promote technological development and advancement; encourage traditional culture and values and to build political institutions that will surpass all individuals. The CDC pro-Doe-Sheriff campaign also focused their promises and pledges on education.

"Without education, our country will remain in the doldrums of backwardness and impoverishment. Without education, poverty will not be reduced but will be increased," Madam Sheriff was often heard during rallies and debates during the campaign. "In this light, we have made a revolutionary proposal which could serve as a transformational national blueprint for the educational system of Liberia. We intend to sponsor an Educational Opportunity Bill upon our election at the Honorable House of Senate which will provide the panacea for the issue of access to education."

The bill, according to Madam Sheriff and her strategists will be comprehensive, and its points in the proposed legislation would be special taxation of 5 cents (US) on petroleum products to set up an "education escrow fund" to be used to support a post-high school student loan scheme; increase in budgetary allocation for education to support a teacher, and student exchange program; additional special taxation to fund special education programs for the blind and other members of our disabled community; increase in budgetary allocation to restructure and fund the free primary education program; increase in budgetary allocation to fund teacher training program, amongst other things.


On Health and Social Services, the CDC Campaign vowed to support and sponsor legislation to improve our health care and social services in Montserrado County, achievable by working with other members of the County Legislative Caucus to push for budgetary support to place a modern health center in each of the 14 districts.

Madam Doe-Sheriff also promised a Revolving Small Scale Loan Scheme intended to source funding for the establishment of a revolving fund to support a small scale loan scheme for less fortunate women and youths to enable them start small business

On Access and Participation in Decision-Making, the CDC former Chair said, as a servant of the people, "we will grant access to the people of Montserrado to our offices so that they too can form a part of the process of making decisions that will affect their lives. Our offices will remain open for suggestions and advice from the people. We will also hold regular consultative forums throughout the 14 districts of Montserrado County."

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