Liberians vote after celebrations
MONROVIA, Liberia — Young Liberians went straight from allnight Christmas celebrations to the polls Tuesday for a runoff election between a former international soccer star and the vicepresident to replace Africa’s first female head of state.
For the first time in more than 70 years, the West African nation founded by freed American slaves will see one democratically elected government hand power to another.
Nearly 2.2 million voters have the choice between 51-year-old former soccer star and senator George Weah and 73-year-old Joseph Boakai, who has been vicepresident for 12 years.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 79, is stepping down after two terms in office that brought the impoverished country out of back-to-back civil wars and grappled with a deadly Ebola outbreak.
The runoff had been contested twice in court amid claims of irregularities, with its original Nov. 7 date delayed.
The first-round Oct. 10 election brought high numbers of voters, and officials hoped Tuesday’s vote would be no different. The National Elections Commission has said voter lists have been cleaned up according to Supreme Court orders.
Both candidates said they were pleased with the turnout as of midday.
“This is a great day because it is a test of democracy,” Boakai said after voting. “We have delayed, we’ve gone through the court process, this is what the process has produced and we are prepared to live with it.”
Weah also spoke after casting his vote.
“This is a good process, and a very peaceful one, which is the most important,” he said. “We subscribe to a peaceful and free and fair election, so we know the process will be transparent. It’s what we hope for.”
Many people showed up at polling stations before the sun rose.
“We need a leader who will move the country forward, not backward,” said 32-year-old Samuka Donzo, who sat in line. “Liberia is too hard now; we need a leader who will make things cheaper so that we don’t have to continue to rely on neighbouring countries for basic commodities.”