In a closely contested election, Liberia’s President George Weah is set to go head-to-head with political veteran Joseph Boakai on Tuesday.
Weah, who secured victory in 2017 with over 61% support, now finds himself in a tight race with Boakai, both polling at 43% each.
Despite winning the previous election with promises of poverty alleviation and infrastructure development, Weah faces criticism for not fulfilling key campaign pledges and addressing justice for victims of civil wars.
Forming alliances with local leaders, including influential former warlord Senator Prince Johnson, has shaped Weah’s political landscape.
Weah, a 57-year-old ex-football star, maintains popularity among the younger demographic, while Boakai, aged 78, brings political experience as the former vice-president from 2006 to 2018 under Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Concerns loom over the potential for violence, with memories of the civil wars that claimed a quarter of a million lives still fresh after two decades.
The electoral commission has a 15-day window to release the results, intensifying the anticipation surrounding Liberia’s political future.
