In Liberia, the crucial process of vote counting is well underway following an election in which President George Weah seeks a second term in office. The country has reportedly faced significant challenges during his first six years in power, including allegations of corruption and economic hardships in Africa’s oldest independent republic.
Approximately 2.4 million eligible voters participated in this West African nation, which continues to grapple with the aftermath of two devastating civil wars that claimed over 250,000 lives between 1989 and 2003.
Moreover, Liberia faced a severe Ebola epidemic from 2013 to 2016, which claimed thousands of lives.
“I am here to elect a good leader who will lead our country. A leader that will make school fees affordable for children to attend,” said Nanny Davies, a fish seller and a mother of six, who joined hundreds of others at the Baptist Field polling centre in the capital city, Monrovia.
Election officials reported a high turnout, as Liberians came to the polls to express their views and potentially shape the nation’s future.
This election will be a test of President Weah’s popularity; he is a beloved former soccer star who emerged from the slums of Monrovia to play for some of the world’s top clubs. However, despite his charisma, he has struggled to address Liberia’s deep-rooted problems.
Vote counting began after dark at polling stations across Monrovia, with some election officials tallying votes by lamplight. The National Elections Commission (NEC) is expected to release provisional results starting on Wednesday. To win outright and avoid a runoff, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the votes cast.
Fortunately, no major incidents were reported, and the voting process proceeded in a calm and orderly manner, according to a team of observers from the Economic Community of West African States.
However, there were some logistical problems, leading to delays and long wait times at certain polling stations. Flooding in Sinoe and Rivercess counties prompted the use of canoes to transport ballots, some of which capsized. As a result, voting will be extended in these affected areas, the NEC announced.
Nevertheless, many Liberians viewed the peaceful election as a success and expressed their hope for a better future. “I feel relief today,” said Richmond Anderson, a voter in Monrovia. “I want to see development here. If we have good leaders, we will not be suffering.”
Analysts anticipate that the election is likely to head into a runoff, where President Weah, 57, who was first elected in 2017 in Liberia’s first democratic transition of power in seven decades, is expected to maintain his position. Weah has cited the need for more time to fulfill his promises of rebuilding the nation’s economy, institutions, and infrastructure, including the country’s deteriorating roads.
“I have asked the Liberian people for a second-term mandate, and that’s why we have come here,” Weah stated after casting his vote at the Kendeja Elementary School polling station in southern Monrovia. He emphasized his commitment to exercising his constitutional rights.
President Weah has faced criticism from the opposition and some donor countries for not doing enough to combat corruption during his first term. In response, he dismissed his chief of staff and two other senior officials last year after they were sanctioned by the United States for corruption.
Weah’s primary challenger among 19 candidates is former Vice President Joseph Boakai, 78, of the Unity Party, who he defeated in a runoff election in 2017. Boakai’s campaign focuses on rescuing Liberia from what he describes as mismanagement during Weah’s administration.
In addition to the presidential race, voters will also select members of the 73-seat lower house and half of the 30-member Senate.
While the campaigning leading up to the election was mostly peaceful, sporadic clashes occurred between supporters of rival parties, raising concerns about election-related violence from the United Nations’ rights office, particularly after two people were killed in September.
“I want peace. All our past leaders have come and failed us,” said voter Cynthia Kollie. “We have suffered too much.” Liberia’s future hangs in the balance as the nation waits for the election results to determine its path forward.