GBARNGA, Liberia — The dusty alleys of this town of 20,000 became a parade route in late September, as President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's convoy snaked past thousands of cheering, sign-waving supporters en route to a campaign rally.
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But despite pockets of rabid support and a committed base of female voters, Sirleaf faces substantial backlash at home that could -- even when coupled with global admiration and a shiny new Nobel Peace Prize, shared with fellow Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee -- see her opposition close in on the executive mansion.
At stake for Sirleaf in the first round of voting, kicking off here on Oct. 11, is another 5 years in office.
And at stake for Liberia is an international spotlight that could fade away if Africa's first elected female leader loses her bid for a second term.
Her standing looks different from outside the country, where the international political community heralds her as a beacon of hope for African women, than it does within Liberia's borders, where she faces growing criticism over a stalling economy and what's perceived to be a weak stance on corruption.
Only 15 percent of the population is currently employed in a "legitimate" industry, the rest resigned to hawking. As her convoy sped from Monrovia to Gbarnga, an SUV carrying an assistant minister trailed, handing out wads of cash -- about $50 apiece -- to village chiefs along the route. "Make sure everyone eats," he said. One child salesman crowding the car carried a bag of insects.
A 2006 campaign promise to fight corruption -- a key plank of Sirleaf's platform -- has gone, many here feel, largely unfulfilled. In a December 2010 report, Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International named Liberia the world's most corrupt country, beating out perennial favorites like Uganda, Kenya, and India.
Then there is her candidacy itself. Sirleaf had promised to be a one-term president, necessary balm for a population still healing from the wounds levied by the six-year reign of warlord dictator Charles Taylor, who advocated cannibalism among his troops, allowed marauding street gangs to terrorize Monrovia and was ousted at the end of the second civil war in 2003.
Sirleaf maintains that her decision to run was made this year, as a result of frustration that she had managed to bring peace to the country -- a process made even more laborious by Liberia's weak infrastructure -- but wouldn't get to stick around to implement any of the initiatives she had planned.
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