By Lincoln G. Peters
Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is urging Liberians, especially women, to exercise their constitutional rights and responsibilities by voting in the October 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
“Our voting is when each citizen exercises their constitutional rights to vote. It’s up to you and your conscience or your God”, the former president urged here Tuesday, August 29, when she launched the Women’s Situation Room to promote peace and democratic elections.
She described the Women’s Situation Room as a place of solution, peacekeeping, and negotiation, noting that they are doing well in Africa in promoting and maintaining peace.
Madam Sirleaf explained that the Women’s Situation Room is controlled and influenced by dedicated and strong women whose interest, she says is peace and stability in Africa and the global village.
The Women’s Situation Room is the effort of the Angie Brooks International Center, a think-tank that advocates for peace and a wholesome functioning society.
“I want Liberians to extoll ABIC and its partners for opening the Women Situation Room in Liberia. They are all over Africa teaching people about political process, and also talking about how people can exercise their constitutional rights to vote. But, most importantly, the WSR’s concentration and focused topic in Liberia is about peace”, she noted.
She underscored that all Liberians need to work collectively in the preservation of Liberia’s peace.
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“Our concentration, as we go to this major political season, we want to make sure that there is no violence or discrimination and everyone does what they are supposed to do as required by law. And make sure that they vote in a peaceful environment.”
She extolled the Angie Brooks International Center for Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security for opening the Women’s Situation Room in Liberia.
Meanwhile, Madam Sirleaf has denied supporting any presidential candidate in the upcoming elections, saying that she is not a politician anymore.
Speaking in an interview following Tuesday’s launch at the Monrovia City Hall when she was asked to name her favorite candidate, the former president dismissed such question as irrelevant, saying she is no longer a politician.
“I am not a politician anymore, so don’t ask me that. I exercise my vote in silence as the Constitution requires”, she responded. Editing by Jonathan Browne
