Vote on performance

President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf is urging electorates here, especially women, to vote based on the performance of candidates in the ensuing October 10 representatives and presidential elections.

“I’m not contesting again so I will stand with you, work with you in making sure that our women who have worked over the years be given the opportunity to serve and subsequently deliver to our people in their respective elective posts,” she said Tuesday, 1 August at the Capitol Building.Speaking at a Women Political Forum in Monrovia Tuesday afternoon, the Liberian leader enjoined Liberian women to campaign, use the available means and vote for candidates based on their past records.

Mrs. Sirleaf who is ending her second six years term in January 2018, has cautioned females here that voting politicians based on performance is a guarantee that they will perform at the Legislature or the Executive Mansion if given the opportunity by the Liberian people. President Sirleaf encourages electorate here to examine the performance of candidates, visit their communities, counties and see what they have done for the people, see whether they have supported community initiatives and ascertain if they have supported their people.She urges voters to give support to candidates who have done such works for their people on grounds that such works can help the Liberian women to close the wide gap between the men and the women.

Mrs. Sirleaf wants female voters to apply such evaluation method on newcomers in the process of elective posts, adding, once it is established that female contestants have passed these tests, then the rest of the other women should join hands in making sure that they win sufficient number of seats in the House of Representatives.

“This is our time”, Mrs. Sirleaf says, recalling the support of the Liberian women in 2005 that helped her to win the presidential elections on the ticket of the Unity Party (UP).
“I won because of the women on grounds that our women claimed that they wanted their own kind at the top. In 2011, though I won, but there’s a wide gap created and the gap currently exists at both the House of Representatives and the Liberian Senate at the Liberian Legislature. I need to close the gap drastically,” she adds.

In an effort to close such gap as recognized by Mrs. Sirleaf, she says it takes hard work, dedication and commitment on the part of every woman throughout the country and the strong backing from the candidates.She then challenges the women here to use the Jehovah Witness method by going from house to house and door to door to ensure that more women are elected in these elections.She urges the women to select the candidates who have worked, served and willing to serve the Liberian people if given the chance. By Bridgett Milton–Edited by Winston W. Parley