A Presidential headache, Did Ellen Advised the Malawian President to go slow on corruption to smooth her way to power? FROM WHENCE I SEE IT: By: Jallah E Grayfield, III The Liberian airwaves have been jammed with for and counter criticisms over reports that Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had ill advised her Malawian Counterpart, the anti corruption president Joyce Banda to slow down on corruption because she is seeking re-election. Though no convincing defense had been put up by President Sirleaf’s office in the media, the Executive Mansion Website tried to clarify but contradicts itself on the subject. emansion.gov.lr. While on a presidential visit to Malawi, the Liberian leader is quoted by western media as advising the anti corruption president Banda to slow down in the fight against corruption, because many of those she is prosecuting might used their ill gotten wealth to hinder her re-election. Harold Kapindu quotes the Malawian President as saying: I have chosen to fight against corruption in this country though I have been advised not to because we are drawing closer to this years Tripartite Elections. I know I am fighting against people who are smarter, wealthier and advanced, she said. She disclosed that the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had advised her to resist from fighting corruption and concentrate on politics knowing that this was an elections period. Banda further pointed out that perpetual corrupt practices happen when people choose to be silent. This is not a new phenomenon; corruption has always been there since Malawi became an independent nation. We only choose not to speak about it, she said. Since this latest info, the President Floor fighters including her Press secretary and her information giants have not said much on the subject, even the information Maradona. Their silence raises more questions than answers, and makes many to believe that the western Media reports are just the truth and nothing but the truth. Many African leaders and emerging leaders including young political activists might just want to follow the example of the Malawian leader, even though the Liberian leader, who professes to treat corruption as a public enemy number one, is being considered by many Liberians as befriending the menace. History is vividly remembered, that when the Malawian Anti corruption giant took office, she was mad at the way her predecessor had handled the affairs of the country, in an effort to reform the economy and keep hope alive for her people, Joyce began a political move to give much of the resources back to her country from alleged thieves. The long fleet of presidential motorcade and a private presidential jet were sold and the money pumped into the economy to give the Malawian people hope. She again began a stiff fight against economic vampires in her country by dismissing the entire cabinet, arresting, jailing and prosecuting alleged criminals who stole the Malawian people’s money including her police chief. Political pundits are of the thoughts that the rampant corruption in Liberia during the dying minute in Madam Sirleaf’s first term was based on similar reasons, that if she had prosecuted alleged corrupt officials at the time, her desperate quest for the presidency would have been undermined. Sure indeed, one may believe, why didn’t the President act on the over eighty audit reports that were submitted by Mr. John Morlu after using state resources to conduct such audits, why were they swept under the presidential carpet by the Liberian leader, why was Morlu subsequently dismissed in the first place? The President’s failure to prosecute alleged corrupt officials caught in the GAC audit reports then, and Morlu’s dismissal was greeted with mixed feelings amongst Liberians. Many Liberians including me, saw the presidential action to dismiss Morlu like a general firing his war front commander who is close to capturing the enemies with a Rocket Prepared Grenade (RPG). Liberians in street corners and on the electronic media have described the President advice to her Malawian counterparts as troubling, a disgrace to the Liberian people, and a slap in the face against the war on corruption. More besides; many think the president had lost her legitimacy to fight corruption, simply because her political muscles are too weak. Though the Liberian Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe N’gafuan had refuted the story of president sirleaf ill advice to her Malawian counterpart, as a “Black Lie” the writer of the story has not been taken to task by the Malawian government for blackmail, whatever. There has been no time that the writer of the story had been summoned by the Malawian Media Body for ethical transgression, how then can we believe the well erudite Foreign Minister as saying that the story is untrue? Let me acknowledge the strides and the agility of the government in the fight against corruption when it newly took over by the dismissal and prosecution of few of its officials. Many Liberians might have forgotten, that the UP led government dismissed the former comptroller of the Ministry of Public works, Mr. Emmanuel Eskin for alleged corruption Eskin was never prosecuted; but the then Minister of Information Lawrence Bropleh announced to the state in A Radio VERITAS Topical Issue interview that Eskin’s would have been prosecuted, but sadly he still moves around as a free man. The Dismissal of Therry Swati Genesis for alleged corruption, his prosecution and subsequent re-appointment in government is something that cannot go un-notice, even though so many of such cases are still on court’s docket and can’t be prosecuted for political reasons. The Bropleh’s is another case in point, Lawrence himself was on a government mission in China, when report emerged that skeletons of corruption were found in his political closet, he was immediately ordered to return, suspended, prosecuted and dismissed. He challenged the then auditor general Morlu, stating that the audits were political and promised to fight back but the case died since then. Albert Bropleh a senior brother, to Lawrence, was also indicted for allegedly stealing LTA’s money and hurriedly indicted and send to court for prosecution, but government’s LACC investigators said he jumped bail. Bropleh’s home was broken into, he was severely beaten and dragged like a common criminal and thrown into a GOL pick up that whisked him off to a Tubmanburg’s prison. These efforts were applauded by many Liberians, even though many had a descending opinion that the fight against corruption was now selective. Many politicians including Simeon Freeman who is referred to as a non fearing political actor continued to launch stinking attack against the government for being selective in the corruption war, but these calls are ignored. When Ambulai Johnson, Former Minister of Internal affairs believed to be a blood relative to President sirleaf was reportedly linked to corruption in the County Development Fund, he was coerced to resign but never prosecuted… President Sirleaf herself had acknowledged that corruption was rampant in the country, but had repeatedly said because her government had prioritized the corruption fight so everybody is speaking of corruption. In as much as we believe that corruption is as old as mankind, a state like Liberia that is determined to improve the lives of its people can rise to the reality by putting in measures and taking punitive actions on those that betray the public trust. A day after our state 2013 July 26th independent day celebration, the Liberian leader admitted that government officials were taking the country’s fund and buying luxurious homes for themselves abroad. The statement was made when she had gone to dedicate the former Nigerian President Obassango’s farm in Tubmanburg, but the madam did not state what her government could do to correct the situation as the corruption story continues to be told. We think it is about time our president emulates the example of her baby sister, the Malawian President to bring sanity to our country.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 13:18:45 +0000
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