FRIDAY, 11.00AM: SOME 800 000 Liberian voters head for the polls on Saturday to choose a parliament and a president to govern Africa’s oldest republic, ravaged by a bitter seven-year civil war that has killed more than 150 000 people.
A huge West African peacekeeping force from 10 nations has been stationed in Liberia since 1990 to fend off civil war, and a peaceful election tomorrow will be considered a triumph for regional co-operation. As Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings has remarked, “this has not been without some pain”.
Nigeria, which accounts for more than 70% of the 11 000-strong force, says it has spent more than US$3-billion on Liberia.
Part of the international disappointment has been attributed to the treacherous conduct of the country’s warlords, who have met on 50 separate occasions in different capitals — and then gone back on their word.
The superstitious have already pointed out that tomorrow’s poll has 13 presidental candidates, and the election agreement is based on the 13th signed peace accord.