Joseph Boakai officially assumed the presidency of Liberia on Monday, triumphing over former football sensation George Weah in a closely contested election.
Boakai, 79, secured the victory with 50.64% of the votes in November’s runoff poll, setting the stage for a challenging six-year term marked by the urgent tasks of addressing poverty and corruption.
Boakai, boasting four decades of political experience, served as vice-president from 2006 to 2018 under Liberia’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Despite a defeat to Weah in the 2017 election, Boakai’s return to power reflects a renewed mandate to tackle pressing issues in the nation.
The investiture ceremony at the parliament, attended by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo and US ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, marked a significant moment for Liberia’s political landscape.
Against the backdrop of a region marred by military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger, Liberia’s peaceful election offered a beacon of stability.
However, the nation of five million faces deep-rooted challenges, including corruption, pervasive poverty, and a fragile justice system, exacerbated by years of civil war and an Ebola outbreak.
Boakai’s alignment with local figures, including former warlord Prince Johnson, during the election campaign underscored the complex dynamics within Liberian politics. Johnson, known for supporting Weah in 2017, is under US sanctions and has nominated his associate, Jeremiah Koung, as Boakai’s vice-president.
The new president faces high expectations from Liberians, anticipating his leadership to generate employment, boost the economy, fortify institutions, and combat corruption—a key focus of Boakai’s campaign promises, rooted in his extensive political career.
