There has been a political re-alignmentin Liberia with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's ruling Unity Party mergingwith the Liberian Action Party of former presidential candidate Varney Shermanand the Unification Party. This raises the concern that President Sirleaf, whois 70 years old might not stand for re-election in the 2011 elections.
Inanother development, President Sirleaf, who left Liberia Wednesday night for theUnited States, has decided on her long-awaited cabinet reshuffle.
Liberia's Information Minister LawrenceBropleh told VOA the political merger is part of the thriving democracy of Liberia underPresident Sirleaf.
"Aswe look toward 2011, many have now begun to say that there is a need forconsolidation of the various political parties in order to not have aproliferation so that in 2011 there will be clear choices for the Liberianpeople. Under that rubric, president Sirleaf's party, the Unity Party hasformed a merger, not a coalition with the Liberia Action Party of CounselorVarney Sherman and the Liberia Unification Party," he said.
VarneySherman was a contender to President Sirleaf during the 2005 election. Broplehsaid the new party would sometime in the future elect its leaders. But untilthat time, he said President Sirleaf remains the party leader.
"PresidentSirleaf remains the standard bearer of the Unity Party, and with this mergershe remains the standard bearer of the Unity Party. Mind you, they are allcoming together is not a new name, and the name that is being carried by thisparty is the Unity Party. Symbol from the Liberian Action Party which is arooster crowing at the dawn of a new day and hand shake from the Unity Partyand the Liberia Unification Party will form part of the new party symbol. Therewill eventually be a convention held and at that convention leaders of theparty will be elected," he said.
Somereports said President Sirleaf, who left Liberia Wednesday night for the UnitedStates, had decided on her long-awaited cabinet reshuffle. But Bropleh saidsuch changes have not been officially announced.
"Ithas not been announced because I will be the one announcing it. But what I cantell you is that President Sirleaf has made some strong considerations and thatshe has penned already what these changes will look like with it is announcedto the public," he said.
Onepublished report said the president has decided to fire Agriculture MinisterJ.Chris Toe, the Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Public Works LuseniDonzo while swapping Labor Minister Samuel Kofi Woods and Education MinisterJoseph Z.D. Korto.
Broplehsaid the changes are part of President Sirleaf's attempt to breathe new lifeinto her government.
"PresidentSirleaf believes that there needs to be some reinvigoration in terms of varioussectors in our governing and she is going to move some people around todifferent areas. This is all to make sure that we have a stronger workinggovernment that is more responsive to the Liberian people," Bropleh said.
Hesaid the changes have nothing to do with whether some cabinet ministers havebeen rumored to be corrupt.
"Letme say that this is all intended to improving efficiency of government ratherthan because someone has been corrupt. These changes that will be announced ina day or two have to along that line," he said.
PresidentSirleaf denied Wednesday that her delay to announce the cabinet changes was anattempt to protect certain government ministers.
Meanwhile,President Sirleaf left Liberia Wednesday night for a two-week private andpublic visit to the United States during which she will launch her new book, "This Child Will BeGreat: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President" (ISBN:978-0061353475, hardcover; Harper).