Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has thought-provokingly opened up on a series of events occurring under the administration of President Joseph N. Boakai, ranging from the expulsion of Representative Yekeh Kolubah and the filthiness of Monrovia to the working relationship with the President and corruption.
In an interview on Truth FM Thursday, former President Sirleaf boldly expressed her disappointment in the expulsion of Montserrado County’s district #10 Representative, Yekeh Kolubah, for the controversial statements he made regarding Liberia’s territorial dispute with Guinea. She warned that no individual should be penalized simply for expressing themselves. She said such actions risk setting a dangerous precedent that could erode civil liberties and weaken democratic governance.
She said, “I don’t think someone should be expelled because of freedom of speech…I don’t think this is the way to go. I don’t think someone should be expelled because of freedom of speech. I signed the independence of freedom of speech. I don’t think someone should be overly disturbed when people say things. I certainly do not think it should be a reason for someone to bear such penalty. There are other ways to curb that. Freedom of speech is something that we must respect. That’s what makes good governance.”
Sirleaf emphasized that, while free speech comes with responsibility and respect for the rights of others, no one should be “overly disturbed” when people express views that may be uncomfortable or critical—especially when directed at those in leadership. She stated that leaders must develop the tolerance to endure criticism, noting that dissenting or even unpleasant views are part of a healthy democracy.
The former President outrightly described Monrovia as dirty. She said, “The city is dirty. Every time I drive through, the level of neglect is obvious. Posters are plastered everywhere, yet little is being done to keep the city clean or make it beautiful.”
This is not the first time for ex-President Sirleaf to describe Monrovia as dirty, but it seems like the authorities responsible for keeping Monrovia clean and green are not living up to the expectation of the former President.
During the interview with Oneil Roberts, ex-President Sirleaf called on the Boakai administration to pay serious attention to the fight against corruption. She said, “It is time to address this corruption issue in a serious way. It is not getting better. We thought we had put a curb on corruption by establishing integrity institutions. The leadership must seriously address it.
According to her, the world is changing, and the requirements for development are moving into different directions. “There’s a decline in partnership and bilateral support. It is time to change,” she warned, urging the Boakai-Koung administration to take the fight against corruption seriously in order to save fundings for development and other pressing issues.
Interestingly, former President Sirleaf claimed that a number of projects being carried out by the Boakai administration were initiated during her administration. “Most of the projects that the President is carrying out were initiated by my administration. It doesn’t matter who initiated them. These are national projects belonging to Liberia, not to any political party or individual. The records are there. We know where all these projects started from and who made the effort for these projects to be properly funded. We started them, but they were delayed.” former President Sirleaf stated.
As it regards her relationship with the President, ex-President Sirleaf said she does not talk with President Boakai often. “Joe and I don’t talk often. Pres. Boakai and I are good friends. If he wants more to be done, he will reach out to me. I am doing my work and he is doing his work,” she disclosed.
However, the former President’s interview has been received with stiff rebuttals from proponents of the ruling administration, accusing her of missteps and mismanagement during her administration. Unsurprisingly, members of the opposition, mainly those from the Congress for Democratic Change, acknowledged her statements and described them as accurate.
