Not Pleased About Limited Seats Women Currently Occupy In Liberian Legislature, While Calling For Constitutional Reforms
PHOTO: Former Pres. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf addressing the House today, Thursday
By K. Ericson Sayee, Contributing Writer
CAPITOL BUILDING, Monrovia–– Africa and Liberia’s first elected woman President made another history today, Thursday, March 5, 2026 to become the first former President to address lawmakers at the Capitol.
Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was Honoring a special invitation from the House of Representatives to address their16th day sitting of the 1st Quarter of the 3rd Session of the House.
She and her Unity Party (UP) won Liberia’s 2005 presidential election, following the end of Liberia’s 14 years civil war which officially ended in 2003, After two six years terns in office, the former Liberian leader peacefully handed over power to George Weah’s CDC party after they won the 2017 presidential election her then former Vice President (now President) Joseph Boakai.
In her statement, Madam Sirleaf declared that the current numbers in the both the House and Senate are not encouraging and do not mean well for the Liberian democratic journey.
Liberia’s first elected female President expressed frustration over the limited seats that women are currently occupying in both the House of Representatives and Senate, championing a greater number of women in the Liberian legislature.
“We have nine women, out of the total of 73 in your House of Representatives. Similarly, we have three women, out of 30 in the Senate”, former Pres. Sirleaf noted. She says the current numbers need to be increased because she believes that women are inadequately under-represented, as other countries pushing for the huge representation of women in parliament despite there are still challenges everywhere,” former President Sirleaf said.
Referencing one of the countries that is dominated by women in its parliament is Rwanda, lauding the country for the ably representation of women in that part of Africa. She disclosed that majority of parliamentarians in that country are women, pushing for Liberia to emulate Rwanda as its current numbers of women in the legislature is discouraging and embarrassing.
“This embarrasses me, it embarrasses women in Liberia and in Africa, and it embarrasses women worldwide,” Madam asserted.
She expressed deep admiration for the Rwandan parliament, noting that “Just in an African country, Rwanda has the largest number of women parliamentarians in that country’s parliament and in the entire world”.
Many countries in Africa, according to her, like others worldwide, have to adopt a quota system or other legal political system to ensure that women are equitably represented in the legislative system.
She added that if there are policies that protect and empower women, they will definitely venture into the political discourse by competing with their male counterparts.
Need for constitutional reform
Former President Sirleaf also spoke of the urgent need for constitutional reform in Liberia.
She described the provision in the constitution that restricts land ownership and citizenship to only people of negro descent as “racist”.
Commenting on Liberia’s political organization, the former Liberian leaders, who was popularly referred to as “the iron lady” recommended to the Legislature that the law on the country’s political party system be revisited to clarify and enforce in the way that it will put the country on par with its regional, continental and global counterparts.
According to her, laws intended to give more clarity and set certain standards are not meant to clampdown on freedom of association, but rather intended to organize the country as compared to other countries Liberians admire.
Over the years, she said that Liberia’s democratic tenet has been hugely admired and praised by powerful countries, yet it is important that the little challenges that exist be address for a much better improvement.
“Legal action on this is not meant to restrict freedom but to ensure that such rights be to better organize and finance national political organizations”, Sirleaf noted.
Liberianization policy not benefitting Liberian people
Meanwhile, former President Sirleaf, who is Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, has cast doubt on the Liberianization Policy benefiting Liberian businesses.
She said that certain areas restricted for only Liberian entrepreneurs are being respected today as non-citizens continue to take advantage of the weak implementation strategy from the Liberian government.
The former Liberian leader then called on the Legislature and the executive to ensure that businesses that are dedicated only to Liberians are not taken advantage by foreign nationals.
“Reportedly, it is observed that non-citizen groups have taken over critical areas of sight on beaches and waterways to enable them to extract valuable minerals, thereby causing serious environmental damage,” Madam Sirleaf said.
She added: “No country would like this to happen, and neither should we.”
The Liberianization Policy was introduced in 1973 under President William R. Tolbert Jr. to increase the participation of Liberian citizens in the national economy, which had been largely dominated by foreign businesses.
Examples of some of the businesses that should benefit of this policy are: Retail trading in local markets, such as small shops and market stalls, Taxi and local transportation services, including operating taxis and small transport vehicles, Gas stations and fuel retailing, which includes ownership of small filling stations. Entertainment businesses, such as video clubs, small cinemas, and entertainment centers, among others.
Former President Sirleaf underscored her invitation by the House of Representatives as historic, though she says others will criticize her for what she is saying on grounds that she served for twelve years as president of Liberia.
“I also know that some will say in our usual Liberian way: ‘She served for twelve years, what didn’t she do all of these things?’, Madam Sirleaf asked.
She then asserted:
“Let me in response to that and in closing that I did my best under the extenuating circumstances and conditions that we all know so very well. I served my country with dedication and honesty. I therefore make no apology to anybody or anything and I make no claims. My record stands by me and history will be the judge”.
Speaker Koon says House committed to add
For his part, House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon expressed gratitude to the former President for honoring the invitation of the House of Representatives and for the remarkable presentation to the House, which the body takes very seriously.
Speaker Koon noted that Madam Sirleaf’s remarks on issues such as Liberianization policy, women participation in the legislature, revisiting the political party system of Liberia, among others.
He assured the former President that the House of Representatives remains committed to addressing these national concerns through thoughtful legislation, oversight, and collaboration with the Senate and other stakeholders.
In recognition of her historic leadership and contributions to Liberia and the global community, Speaker Koon, on behalf of the House of Representatives and the 55th Legislature of Liberia, conferred upon Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf a Special Legislative Citation of Distinguished Honor.
The citation acknowledged her historic role as Africa’s first democratically elected female president, her global advocacy for peace and democracy, and her lifelong dedication to the progress and development of Liberia.