Liberia in first peaceful democratic transfer of power as Weah is sworn in as president

The West African country of Liberia has successfully conducted its first peaceful democratic transfer of power in more than seven decades as former soccer star George Weah has been sworn in as president.

The last peaceful transfer of power between two democratically elected presidents took place in Liberia in 1944, when President Edwin Barclay was replaced by William Tubman.

Read also: Ex-football star George Weah elected as Liberia’s new president

Weah, the former world footballer of the year who succeeds Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female president, won 61.5 per cent of the votes in December’s election run-off, beating outgoing vice president Joseph Boakai who garnered 38.5 per cent of the ballot.

The former footballer who entered politics after retiring from football in 2002 and run for the presidency in 2005 losing to Sirleaf, emerged winner of the last election which had a voter turnout of 55.8 percent, or just over 1.2 million people, according to the election commission.

 

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