International
Liberia Decides At The Polls Today
Eko Hot Blog reports that citizens of Liberia will be deciding their leader between the former football star, George Weah and Joseph Boakai at the polls today. Weah, 57 is running alongside his former Vice President Joseph Boakai, 78.
Contending at the polls of the highest office in the country are 19 candidates, which includes two women.
Weah, who won the FIFA footballer of the year in 1995, succeeded Africa’s first elected female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, after she stepped down at the end of her two terms in 2018.
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According to reports, there are about 2.4 million people registered to vote at polls due today.
Weah’s former Deputy, Boakai waged his campaign under the slogan “Rescue”, claiming his course is to save the country from his boss, Weah, arguing that the West African state went downhill during Weah’s first six years in office.
However, Weah affirmed his confidence in his victory at the polls, saying that he has kept Liberia stable and has improved the educational system of the country.
This year’s election as reported is historic as it is the first time a generation of young voters, will come out en-mass to participate in the elections since the historic civil war which killed an estimated 250,000 people, two decades ago.
In view of the war, many Liberians are clamouring for the establishment of a war crimes court to bring to justice the key figures behind the conflict, saying failure to do so has created a culture of impunity.
However, Weah said that focusing on old crimes was not the best way to achieve development.
Meanwhile., contrary to President Weah’s suggestion, Boakai – along with two other leading candidates, businessman Alexander Cummings and human rights lawyer Tiawan Gongloe – have pledged to set up a court in view of the war crimes.
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The political parties in Liberia have pledged to uphold smooth and peaceful elections, despite clashes between rival camps in the final days of the campaign, which left three people dead in September.
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