The 79 year old – Africa’s first elected female President – ruled the West African nation for two terms. (16 January 2006 – 22 January 2018)
After 12 years in power, it was finally time for Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to hand over the country’s leadership to a new face.
The battle to replace Sirleaf mainly pit her vice Joseph Boakai and former football star George Weah.
Liberia’s general elections were held on 10 October 2017, but none of the presidential candidates garnered the required 50 percent plus one vote.
The top two candidates, Boakai and Weah, went on to face off in a runoff vote, which was held on 26 December.
George Weah was declared winner of the run-off poll with around 62 per cent of the votes.
The former football star’s inauguration took place on 22 January 2018.
The change of power was Liberia’s first peaceful transition in 70 years.
George Weah however has so much in his plate as president. Primarily, he took over a nation whose population largely lives below the poverty line (more than half).
However, he pledged to prioritize lifting the economy, and to begin with, took a 25 percent pay cut. This he hoped would influence other government officials to also take pay cuts in order to shore up state finances.
The 79 year old – Africa’s first elected female President – ruled the West African nation for two terms. (16 January 2006 – 22 January 2018)
After 12 years in power, it was finally time for Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to hand over the country’s leadership to a new face.
The battle to replace Sirleaf mainly pit her vice Joseph Boakai and former football star George Weah.
Liberia’s general elections were held on 10 October 2017, but none of the presidential candidates garnered the required 50 percent plus one vote.
The top two candidates, Boakai and Weah, went on to face off in a runoff vote, which was held on 26 December.
George Weah was declared winner of the run-off poll with around 62 per cent of the votes.
The former football star’s inauguration took place on 22 January 2018.
The change of power was Liberia’s first peaceful transition in 70 years.
George Weah however has so much in his plate as president. Primarily, he took over a nation whose population largely lives below the poverty line (more than half).
However, he pledged to prioritize lifting the economy, and to begin with, took a 25 percent pay cut. This he hoped would influence other government officials to also take pay cuts in order to shore up state finances.
