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Last Updated: Monday, 16 January 2006, 10:18 GMT
Liberian views: 'My priorities'
Liberian President elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf sings during a church service a day before her inauguration
Rebuilding war-scarred Liberia will be no easy task
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is being inaugurated as Liberia's new head of state, carving her name into history as Africa's first elected female president and taking the helm of a ruined nation struggling for peace after a quarter century of coups and war.

The BBC News website spoke to three voters, about their choices and what they would do if they were the one elected by the people to lead their country.


If I were being inaugurated today the first thing I would do is organise a series of activities to bring everyone together.

We have a name for this. We call it "palava hut". It is a little room, in a traditional hut, where people come to agree and where disputes are settled.

Eileen Samuels- Lablah
Eileen voted for Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
I would invite the defeated candidates, like George Weah, a representative of the ex-combatants, a traditional leader, someone from the young wing of the country, maybe someone from the university and also someone from the women organizations.

I would hold it in our capital Monrovia but everyone from the 15 counties would be represented over time.

Stake-holders would come together to find a way forward, as a people in the interests of the entire country.

In the "palava hut" we would move from war to peace.

The talks would remain open for an indefinite period. After three months had passed a report would be published. And then everyone, common people one and all, would be given some means to be able to reach me, as their president.

They would be able to tell me their personal concerns and put their queries to me.

By doing this we will be one and erase the war.

The mood here in Monrovia is one of celebration and hope today.

Everything is so clean I am so shocked. The city is looking so neat, so smart thanks to the collective effort from everyone.

Everyone is working together. The country is both peaceful and excited. We're all speaking of one thing - and it's peace. We are at the point where everyone has accepted the result and wants to move forward.

We're sick of war.


Electrification should be priority number one; then she should bring running water and pay civil servants.

The other important thing I would do if I were the one being put in office is to streamline the government.

There are just too many people sitting in offices doing nothing.


I feel happy about her inauguration since she was democratically elected in a free and fair election. [Ishmael backed George Weah in the election].

If I were the one being sworn in, my first priority would be unification - to unify the country because for the last 14 years the country has been devastated.

There is a total division on tribal lines.

So the thing to go for first should be to bring back the war-shattered people together.

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