PREVIEW: Liberia's Johnson-Sirleaf to be inaugurated Monday

By Kate Thomas Jan 13, 2012, 2:06 GMT

Monrovia - 'Everyone will be watching Liberia next week,' says Blessing Onje, who is part of the team tasked with beautifying Liberia before President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is sworn into a second term Monday.

The inauguration programme kicks off Sunday with a church service, and ends Monday night with an inaugural ball. Ahead of the two-day celebrations, streets are being swept, flags raised and banners hoisted around the coastal capital, Monrovia.

Onje, 26, jumps off a truck parked outside Liberia's Capitol Building. A colleague passes her a flagpole topped with Nigeria's green-and-white stripes, and she places it next to Liberia's, with its single star and red stripes.

'It looks good, doesn't it? Nigeria, Liberia, and all these other countries,' Onje says, gesturing to the row of flags lined up by the roadside.

Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female leader, won the Nobel Peace Prize - along with fellow Liberian peace advocate Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni pro-democracy activist Tawakkul Karman - in October, just days before Liberia went to the polls in the first round of a presidential vote.

She won a second term in November, taking more than 90 per cent of the vote, after the main opposition Congress for Democratic Change, led by former United Nations lawyer Winston Tubman and football great George Weah, boycotted the second round, citing 'voting irregularities.'

International observers said the vote was largely free and fair.

The guest list for the inauguration remains a closely guarded secret but about 15 heads of state are believed to have been invited, including Senegal's octogenarian leader Abdoulaye Wade and delegations from the United States and South Africa.

Johnson-Sirleaf's government, which has shelled out a reported 1.2 million dollars for the event, was left red-faced Wednesday after admitting that it cannot host all those invited.

'Our country does not have the capacity to host all of our expected guests,' said press secretary Cyrus Badio. 'Heads of state will be coming with their private jets, which our airport cannot accommodate. Landing here at the same time will be a problem.'

Some names may be easier to cut from the list than others.

Badio said Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was originally expected to attend the ceremony, but may have to remain in Nigeria because of the ongoing strikes against fuel price hikes.

Johnson-Sirleaf will be sworn in as president Monday morning, and Liberia will play Nigeria in a friendly football match that afternoon.

Street parties are planned, as well as a peace concert featuring Liberian singers such as Julie Endee.

Lila Marie, a shopper browsing a stall selling second-hand children's toys, said she was looking forward to Monday, which will be a national holiday.

'The president did a good job ... she deserves a big celebration,' she said.

Businessman Christian Iwaji said he hopes international leaders will be impressed by the progress made in the capital since Johnson-Sirleaf's first inauguration, in 2006.

'Liberia is already established,' he said, pointing at the crumbling historic buildings that line Monrovia's Ashmun Street, once the sought-after address of Liberia's early leaders and luminaries.

'I think the world knows us by now. But I'm praying for the good impression of Liberia to stay,' he said. 'I hope there won't be any trouble.'

Riots rocked Monrovia in the run-up to Christmas, when angry opposition supporters joined a demonstration by students who were protesting at the government's late payment of wages for vacation jobs.

Sanitation Department supervisor Andrew Jones said 1.2 million dollars was too much to spend on the event.

'This money should be used for development instead of spent in one day,' he said. 'The poor are suffering, and those who are invited already have money. Why spend it on them?'

However, Jones also said: 'Good leadership brings more visitors from different parts of the world to Liberia. That makes the future favourable.'

But Liberian commentators say generating a good impression of the country - where more than 80 per cent of the population is underemployed or work on a casual basis - will help bring in valuable money for development.

Liberian singer and cultural advocate Miatta Fahnbullah, who is part of the inauguration committee, told dpa that women's rights will be addressed during the two-day event.

A women's forum will be held at the capital's main stadium Sunday, with prominent women from around the globe presenting research and sharing views.

'Liberian women are carrying the flag for their sisters all over the continent,' said Fahnbullah. 'Ellen now has another six years. The question is, can we find another female leader in Africa to take the baton before the end of her tenure?'