Liberia is anxiously awaiting the outcome of its presidential election, which took place on Tuesday amid heavy rains and sporadic violence. The incumbent President, George Weah, is seeking a second term but faces a strong challenge from his former vice president, Joseph Boakai, who has accused him of corruption and mismanagement.
The election is a crucial test of Liberia’s democracy, which emerged from a 14-year civil war in 2003 and was hit by a deadly Ebola outbreak in 2014. The country is also struggling with high poverty, unemployment, and inflation, as well as the impact of the global pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
According to the National Elections Commission (NEC), over 2.4 million registered voters cast their ballots at over 5,000 polling stations nationwide. The voting was largely peaceful, except for some clashes between rival supporters in the campaign’s final days that left at least two people dead and 20 others injured.
The NEC said it would start releasing provisional results on Wednesday, with the final outcome expected by October 25. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the votes, a runoff between the top two contenders will be held.
Weah, a former football star who won the Ballon d’Or award 1995, is confident of securing an outright victory in the first round. He has touted his achievements in providing free education, reducing electricity costs, and building roads and bridges. He has also dismissed the allegations of corruption and nepotism levelled against him by his opponents.
Boakai, who served as vice president under Africa’s first elected female leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from 2006 to 2017, has promised to revive the economy, fight graft, and improve health care and agriculture. Unlike his former boss, Sirleaf, who was accused of nepotism and interfering with the judiciary, he has also vowed to respect the rule of law and human rights.
The election has drawn international attention and scrutiny, with observers from the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the European Union, and the United States monitoring the process. They have urged all parties to respect the people’s will and avoid violence or incitement.
Liberia is one of Africa’s oldest republics, founded by freed American slaves in 1847. It has a rich history of cultural diversity and resilience but also a legacy of political instability and violence. The election offers an opportunity for Liberians to consolidate their democracy and chart a new course for their future.
Source: Bloomberg
