Meet the five men who could become Liberia’s next president

Millions of Liberians cast their ballots on Tuesday, October 10, in hopes of choosing one of the top five presidential contenders to govern the nation for the ensuing six years.

These contenders, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, present different perspectives on Liberia’s future as the nation waits to learn the results of the impending presidential election.

GEORGE WEAH

As president of Liberia since 2018, George Weah is a politician from Liberia and a former professional football player. Weah represented Montserrado County as a senator before winning the presidency. In his illustrious eighteen-year professional football career, which came to an end in 2003, he was a striker. Weah is the first African-born head of state who was previously a professional football player.

Liberia saw its first democratic transition in 74 years when Weah took office as president on January 22, 2018, making him the fourth youngest-serving president in Africa. He stated that the primary goals of his presidency would be to eliminate illiteracy, fight corruption, reform the economy, and enhance living circumstances.

JOSEPH BOAKAI

Joseph Boakai is the former vice president of Liberia. He has made agriculture a major campaign platform, promising to establish three agricultural machinery hubs nationwide and boost local rice production as part of his programme. In order to promote cross-border trade, he has also pledged to pave the roadways that link the nation’s capitals and Liberia with other nations.

In addition, the former vice president declared that he would collaborate with lawmakers to create a special court that would expedite trials involving economic crimes and corruption and aid the private sector in creating initiatives.

Having fallen badly short of Weah in the 2017 runoff elections, Boakai is making a second run at the presidency and is hoping to win this time.

Read also: Boakai takes early lead in Liberia presidential race

ALEXANDER CUMMINGS

Although it will be difficult for Alexander Cummings to topple Weah and Boakai, the leaders in the polls as of October 10, he is still optimistic.

Cummings wants to end the Coalition for Democratic Change’s and the opposition Unity Unity’s 20-year dominance of the nation by reviving it with a technocratic form of government.

He compares Liberia’s economic woes to the structure of the economy and its limited influence on the people, comparing it to a bowl of rice that he is uniquely prepared to help grow.

He claims that if that issue is resolved, more money will be collected to fund infrastructure, education, and other initiatives in addition to the creation of jobs. Cummings, who placed fifth overall in 2017 despite spending a lot of money and entering the race 18 months early, has also committed to establishing a $20 million empowerment fund, providing serious extension services to farmers, and streamlining the nation’s tax code to foster an environment that is conducive to business.

Read also: Liberia’s election commission releases provisional results today

TIAWAN GONGLOE

Tiawan Gongloe is a law professor and human rights attorney. During former President Sirleaf’s administration, he was the nation’s solicitor general.

Among other things, Gongloe and his Liberian People’s Party have pledged that the Armed Forces of Liberia will be used under his command to address the nation’s food issue.

He thinks that encouraging the army to practise mechanised farming, beginning with 100 acres of rice farms in each of the fifteen counties, will help alleviate Liberia’s low agricultural output.

In addition, Gongloe has said that his government would examine the General Auditing Commission audit report records in order to pursue corruption charges.

Along with his commitment to not interfering with the police or the courts, he also has plans to draught legislation that would make intervention by public servants a crime. In addition, he has pledged to build free vocational schools in each of the 15 counties and to offer free, obligatory, high-quality education from kindergarten through grade 12.

Read also: George Weah back in lead ahead of Boakai in Liberia’s presidential race

CLARENCE MONIBA

Clarence Moniba, who has positioned himself as the sole contender willing to take a radical approach to solving Liberia’s many issues.

Being the youngest presidential candidate, he has repeatedly cautioned the electorate of Liberia that they cannot fulfil their desire for change by continuing to support the same two political parties, the former ruling Unity Party and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change, which have dominated the country’s political landscape since 2005, produced the same outcomes, and prevented the country from reaching its full potential.

Moniba, a former vice president’s son, has pledged to develop “food production zones” in each of the 15 subdivisions in order to diversify the economy and generate jobs.

The most ambitious initiatives include creating a mortgage system to encourage infrastructure development and property ownership, and replacing the current compensation structure with an hourly productivity-based minimum rate.

Never having run for public office, Moniba served as a cabinet minister in the former President Sirleaf’s government, overseeing the start of the Somali Drive and the completion of the Mt. Coffee Hydro projects. Along with other projects, he assisted in securing the US$250 million in funding for the latter.