This is the third round of protests George Weah is facing since taking office as President two years ago.

George Weah inherited a country emerging from back to back civil wars and the worst EBOLA outbreak on the planet.

However he made a number of promises in his campaign to succeed Ellen-Johnson Sirleaf as Liberia’s President.

The activist group known as the Council of Patriots repeatedly reminds him that he is falling short on delivery.

They are protesting Liberia’s deepening economic crisis.

They maintain this is compounded by corruption and mismanagement  of public funds – charges that Weah’s government vehemently denies 

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Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf insists the money did not disappear on her watch.

Cash-strapped Liberia had new bank notes  printed in Sweden, Lebanon and China.

The missing notes appear to have  been part of the consignment from the Scandinavian country.

Officials said initially it came in last year, when Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was still President.

Website Frontpage Africa claims it has documentary evidence that the missing notes actually were signed for in March and April this year, after President George Weah was at the helm.

Weah has made fighting corruption a cornerstone of his presidency. 

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At a push, politicians might discuss their vulnerabilities. Sporting stars never do.

So when George Weah talks about the pitfalls awaiting him as Liberia’s President, the football  ace holds sway over the relatively new politician.

“I am a human being he.” he says. “I strive to be excellent. I can succeed.”

No room for doubt there.

Many doubted that he could make it in the top European football leagues when he left Liberia to seek sporting fame.

And he delivered.

The jerseys he pulled over his head look like football-who’s who. Monaco, Paris Saint Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City.

To seal the deal he’s  the only African to win the coveted international footballer of the year award.

So who will question the ability of this 51-year-old who started kicking a ball in the Monrovia slum where he was born.

They said he was under qualified, so he cracked a business degree from a US university.

He failed to beat Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005 when she became Africa’s first elected woman president.

But quitting is not George Weah. He became a senator in 2014 and contested for the presidency again. Successfully.

For him and for Liberia, this is only the start of  the match.

Liberian youth supported him overwhelmingly .

They comprise 60 percent of the country’s 4,6 million population.

Disappoint them and turn a generation against politics.

From great hope comes the possibility of great disillusionment.

In a country where 14 years of civil war is a living memory and where poverty, corruption, illiteracy inequality and under development are daily grinding realities this is a recipe for disaster.

Hardly surprising that on the eve of his inauguration Weah left the field, having played a friendly football match against an Army XI, saying his first priority is keeping the peace.

On the hustings he promised to beat corruption, establish better schools and create jobs.

In an economy  highly reliant on rubber and iron ore and dependent on foreign aid to make budgetary ends meet he has his work cut out creating jobs.

Transparency International declares that corruption in Liberia is endemic, permeating through all sectors of society.

So a man with a mountain of political debts to repay having won the presidency has a mountain to climb.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf left a country at peace. But it is a country lagging way down the list on health, education and development.

George Weah goes into the match more than couple of goals down on the first leg.

Let us hope that the man with a golden boot can confound his doubters and prove us wrong.

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The first footballer elected to lead an African country has taken over from the first African woman elected to lead the country established to  house slaves freed in the United States.

After playing a friendly match against an army team, 51-year-old former international footballer of the year George Weah said his first priority was to maintain peace in Liberia, which was rent by more than a decade of civil war before Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took the helm.

Like US President Donald Trump, Weah has taken to twitter to get his message across.

The first Liberian to assume power in a peaceful changeover since 1944 thumbed his compatriots promising they’ll have visible, major and positive changes under his presidency

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Former football ace George Weah has won that race to replace Africa’s first elected woman President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Official results have yet to be announced in Liberia.

But the result is so cut and dried that world leader, including President Jacob Zuma, are congratulating Weah.

It’s imperative that the loser, outgoing Deputy President Joe Boakai ,accept defeat and allow Liberia’s first peaceful transition of power since 1944.

Ensuring that happens is top of Obassanjo’s to do list.

The four Liberian presiden before the incumbent Johnson Sirleaf either died in office or were forced into exile.

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Both candidates maintain they’re confident of victory.

After a peaceful campaign, it’s vital the loser accepts the results avoiding further legal battles.

The turnout yesterday was lower than for the first round of voting seven weeks ago.

Both Deputy President Joseph Boakai and former football star George Weah have made confident statements.

Analysts say Weah, who was beaten in 2005 by outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has garnered most support from the youth.

Since they make up the majority of the 2,2 million voters, it could spell victory for the former AC Milan star.

Both he and Boakai have promised, if elected, to revive Liberia struggling economy and to kickstart infrastructure projects.

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Authorities not have to select a date for a re-run that will complete the first smooth transfer of power in 73 years in the former US colony.

The race to succeed Africa’s first elected woman president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will now be take up between football star George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai.

They emerged as frontrunners in the first round  of voting two months ago.

Neither won an outright majority, necessitating a re-run.

The process was delayed by claims of electoral fraud.

The Supreme Court ordered an investigation that has not produced enough evidence to delay the process any further.

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With less than five percent of the votes left to tally, former football star George Weah and Vice President  Joseph Boakai has secured a lead over the 18 other candidates – but not enough for an outright win.

They’ve both scored world firsts for Liberia.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is standing down as Africa’s first elected woman president.

George Weah, fighting to succeed her, was the first African to win football Ballon D’Or award.

Weah has 39 percent of the vote in the first round last Tuesday.

Vice President Joseph Boakai is ten points behind him.

They’ll be the contestants in next month’s run-off.

At least one of the beaten candidates Charles Brumskine is alleging electoral fraud.

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However Arsene Wenger, who manages the London football team Arsenal, has jumped the gun in congratulating his former player on becoming president.

George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai lead the pack of 20 contenders in the race to replace Africa’s first elected woman president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

It seem unlikely either will win the clear majority required for an outright victory.

So a run-off is on the cards for next month.

The election has been plagued by irregularities, according to local media.

Liberal Party leader Charles Brumskine threatens legal action if the Independent Electoral  Commission does not cease publishing provisional results.

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Liberty Party candidate Charles Brumskine is not one of the front-runners to take over from Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

ends intro

Local media puts former football star George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai in the lead for the presidential race.

The National Elections Commission was expected to release preliminary results today.

Liberty Party national chairman Benjamin Sanvee says they’re deeply troubled by the discovery of numerous incidents of irregularities and fraud that occurred during the elections.

He threatens to take appropriate legal action if the election commission does not halt further announcements of election results.

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