Jewel Howard-Taylor on warfare, Weah and her agenda

Monrovia, Liberia – As the ex-wife of Charles Taylor – a man serving a 50-year detention heart sentence for crimes against humanity, Jewel Howard-Taylor appears to be like an now not going resolution of running mate in Liberia’s presidential election for soccer star-grew to turn into-baby-kisser, George Weah.

Then once more, here’s the label which attracted the supreme series of votes in October’s first round.

Weah, of the Coalition for Democratic Commerce (CDC), and Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party, ranked first and 2d respectively within the October polls.

But claims of fraud salvage stalled the final consequence, with a 2d round postponed.

Claims of fraud salvage stalled the final consequence of Liberia’s vote, with a 2d round postponed [Lucinda Rouse/Al Jazeera]

The CDC shaped out of an alliance between Weah’s Congress for Democratic Commerce, Howard-Taylor’s National Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Liberia Folk Democratic Party – which is headed by used Dwelling of Representatives Speaker Alex Tyler. Weah and Howard-Taylor are the presidential and vice-presidential candidates respectively for this coalition.

Al Jazeera spoke to Howard-Taylor about Liberia’s past and future.

Al Jazeera: Why are you running for vp?

Howard-Taylor: It started decades within the past, wanting at the destruction of our country and the necessity for patriotic Liberians in rebuilding it. I served as first woman in a critical duration the assign we had warfare on our hands and the total machine disintegrated to the point the assign the regime used to be asked to resign and hotfoot away the country.

I came dwelling in 2004 and in 2005 used to be given an opportunity by the of us of Bong County to wait on as senator. I believed that as a patriotic citizen and a lady chief it’d be a first fee space to design my dangle profession and impact positively on our country.

Al Jazeera: Why would perchance well well silent of us factor in that you are now not pursuing the agenda of your ex-husband, used President Charles Taylor?

Howard-Taylor: You wish to glance the assign I’ve sat for the past 12 years and the agenda that I’ve carried.

I’m the odd-bearer of the NPP and our motto is: « Above all else the of us. » That is the NPP agenda.

If someone says that Senator Taylor desires to bring attend the Taylor agenda, I quiz of: « What is the Taylor agenda? » During the crisis I was now not within the country; I was away in college. If I wasn’t here, there is no system you may well well say I was alive to.

Did I in actual fact salvage on defense power tools struggling with and killing? No. I obvious that I would exhaust my time offering whatever give a assume to I’d to help alleviate the suffering of of us.

Jewel Howard-Taylor, vice odd bearer of CDC

All I do know is that my country ended up in flames and I mediate or now not it is unfair when of us attempt guilty me for things about which I had no thought.

I am going out every single day and assume a gape at to realize my simplest. But others proceed to say, « there is a predicament with this woman ».

If there used to be a predicament with me, I by no system would were elected as senator in 2005.

Even as first woman, I created a humanitarian job power for folks within the displaced camps. Did I in actual fact salvage on defense power tools struggling with and killing? No. I obvious that I would exhaust my time offering whatever give a assume to I’d to help alleviate the suffering of of us.

It used to be most regularly via this that I was elected and I’d now not were elected twice if I were the Jewel Taylor that the enviornment desires to glance.

Al Jazeera: Have faith you are going to need any concerns about George Weah’s lack of political abilities?

Howard-Taylor: What does it require? I had no political abilities after I ran for senator in 2005. There are of us that say George Weah is tremendous a footballer but he is now not; he is the supreme in his field and impart an odd that nobody has surpassed.

Let’s concept at what it takes. Football, first of all, is a team sport. If George Weah used to be an individualistic individual, the team would by no system salvage had a raffle of a hit. His 2d attribute is his imaginative and prescient. Coming from a ghetto to reach the assign he did, he must were dedicated and hardworking to turn into the supreme.

George Weah, used soccer player and presidential candidate of Congress for Democratic Commerce (CDC), has what it takes to book Liberia, says Jewel Howard-Taylor [Thierry Gouegnon/Reuters]

[Being president] requires dedication, it requires take care of for country. Nobody has proven more take care of for Liberia than George Weah. Within the course of the crisis when of us were struggling with and shopping hands, he used to be within the refugee camps offering management and solace.

Folk create now not mediate in regards to the probabilities of what others would perchance well well bring to the desk. Request at the assign we are after 12 years. This authorities has had loads of give a assume to but we silent salvage a damaged machine.

It takes someone who loves their country sufficient to design a distinction, and I mediate that is the supreme requirements need to you are attempting to search out a president.

Al Jazeera: How attain you gape President Sirleaf’s legacy?

Howard-Taylor: It hasn’t been a easy boulevard. She inherited a truly damaged machine and she’s done the supreme that she would perchance well well. You may well perhaps now not fail to establish the challenges she has faced … she managed to reach attend from the attend of the room and stand on the front stage.

As she is now appealing to turn the baton over to a brand unique technology, I mediate we can all proceed to say thank you to her for declaring peace and stability and taking us to the assign we are.

Al Jazeera: How would you evaluation yourself to her?

Howard-Taylor: I cannot. But, I bid in regards to the fireside she had when she started the course of to verify that that one day a lady would turn into president is the the same fireplace that I in actual fact salvage in my soul to proceed to work for my country so that we create now not remain the byword.

I grew up here when Liberia used to be the Original York of West Africa and our technology has a accountability to repair it.