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'Iron Lady' elected Liberia's president
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-24 14:27
Liberia's "Iron Lady," former Finance Minister Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, became
Africa's first elected woman head of state on Wednesday, promising to stamp out
corruption and rebuild her shattered country.
Liberia's electoral commission declared the Harvard-trained economist winner
of a November 8 presidential run-off after she took almost 60 percent of the
valid votes, beating soccer millionaire George Weah's 40 percent.
"The election of Africa's first democratically elected female president is
historic... I promise that I will conduct myself and the affairs of the country
in a manner that brings pride to the women of Liberia, Africa and even the
world," Johnson-Sirleaf said in comments broadcast live on radio.
"The election marks the end of an era. An era of political and social
exclusion. We will create and formulate an inclusive government, I promise you
that," said the 67-year-old president-elect, dressed in a maroon African robe
and headcloth.
Liberia's former Finance Minister Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf waves to supporters in Monrovia, November 23, 2005.
[Reuters] | Hundreds of cheering, singing and
dancing supporters of the woman Liberians call "Iron Lady" and "Mama Ellen"
celebrated outside Johnson-Sirleaf's home and the headquarters of her Unity
Party, bringing traffic to a standstill.
"Mama Ellen ... is now the President. I'm happy," said 58-year-old Amos
Nangde, wearing a paper hat made from one of her campaign posters.
Liberia's electoral authorities confirmed Johnson-Sirleaf's win by a wide
margin even though they were still investigating a formal complaint from Weah,
39, that the polls were fraudulent.
Supporters of the former AC Milan striker, who has a strong following among
mostly young Liberians, staged street protests last week, some of which turned
into clashes with police.
International observers had praised the elections, the
first since the end of a 14-year civil war in the West African state, as free,
fair and peaceful. Foreign observers and 15,000 United Nations troops and police
supervised the polls.
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