Liberians Hold Decisive Run-off to Determine President Weah’s Fate
Liberian citizens exercised their democratic right on Tuesday as they headed to the polls to cast their votes in a closely contested presidential run-off. The two leading candidates, incumbent President George Weah and political veteran Joseph Boakai, are neck-and-neck, with just over 7,000 votes separating them from the first round held a month ago.
This year’s election comes as a critical juncture for Liberia, marking the first since the United Nations peacekeeping mission ended in 2018. The country was marred by two devastating civil wars between 1989 and 2003, resulting in the loss of more than a quarter of a million lives. Now, Liberians must decide whether to grant George Weah a second term despite a controversial record, or choose the 78-year-old Joseph Boakai, who emphasizes rescuing the nation from what he calls mismanagement by Weah’s administration.
The race between Weah and Boakai is expected to be tight, reminiscent of their 2017 face-off when Weah emerged victorious in the second round with over 61% of the vote. However, this time around, Boakai has focused his campaign on revitalizing the agricultural and infrastructure sectors while addressing the perceived governance gaps under Weah’s leadership. Weah, on the other hand, has been championing the improvement of education and job creation, urging voters to give him more time to fulfill his first-term promises of combating corruption and enhancing livelihoods.
Despite concerns about potential post-election violence following clashes during the campaign that left several people dead, the voting process proceeded peacefully on Tuesday. Incidents or violence were not reported, providing a sense of relief to the nation.
As the results of this highly anticipated run-off are yet to be announced, the future direction of Liberia hangs in the balance. Liberian voters have the weighty task of choosing between continuity under Weah’s leadership or a new vision with Boakai at the helm. Regardless of the outcome, the election represents a pivotal moment for the nation as it strives to consolidate peace, stability, and development.
Keywords: Liberians, President Weah, presidential run-off, George Weah, Joseph Boakai, United Nations, peacekeeping mission, civil wars, controversy, second term, agriculture, infrastructure, mismanagement, education, unemployment, corruption, peaceful voting, post-election violence, results, continuity, new vision, peace, stability, development.
