After Defeating Weah, Boakai was Sworn in as the Next President of Liberia

After defeating former football player George Weah in the election, Joseph Boakai was inaugurated in as president of Liberia on Monday. His first task as president will be to combat corruption and poverty.

With 50.64 percent of the vote to 49.36 percent in November’s run-off ballot, the 79-year-old narrowly defeated former Ballon d’Or winner Weah.

In front of numerous foreign dignitaries and diplomatic delegations, he took the oath of office for a six-year term at a ceremony held in the parliament in the capital, Monrovia, at 10:00 GMT.

West Africa’s President, Boakai, has forty years of political experience, serving as vice president from 2006 to 2018. Despite recent military takeovers, the country faces corruption, extreme poverty, and a deficient justice system.

Impunity for atrocities committed during civil conflicts remains a significant issue. Boakai sided with local barons, including Prince Johnson, a former warlord who supported Weah in 2017.

Johnson, who is subject to US sanctions, proposed Jeremiah Koung, one of his colleagues, to be Boakai’s vice president. Liberals expect Boakai to combat corruption, strengthen institutions, create jobs, and boost the economy, given his lengthy political career. The peaceful election in November despite the region’s recent military takeovers highlights the country’s challenges.

“Expectations of Boakai’s presidency are high,” Larry Nyanquoi, a former local official in Nimba County, said.

“Seen as somebody who has not engaged in corruption and one who has tried to live the simplest possible life,” is how Boakai is perceived.

According to Nyanquoi, Liberians also anticipate that Boakai would guarantee a consistent supply of water and power and will upgrade the country’s road system to draw in foreign investment.

The former administration failed to fulfill its pledge to create a court for war and economic crimes as well as to put an end to impunity in the nation.

Suspicion was also aroused by the four government auditors’ unexplained deaths.