Joseph Boakai: What To Know About The Political Veteran Set To Lead Liberia

Joseph Boakai: What To Know About The Political Veteran Set To Lead Liberia

Joseph Boakai, anticipated to secure the presidency in Liberia following the acknowledgment of election defeat by incumbent leader George Weah, boasts four decades of political expertise.

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Boakai served as vice president from 2006 to 2018 under Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female president, who reconstructed the war-ravaged nation after a civil war that claimed an estimated 250,000 lives.

This recent election marks Boakai’s second bid for the presidency, having previously lost to President George Weah in a 2017 run-off. The two contenders engaged in a second-round vote on Tuesday, following a fiercely contested first ballot last month, where neither candidate attained an outright victory.

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At 78, Boakai has scrutinized his opponent’s record, a former international football star, underscoring his extensive tenure in office and presenting a “rescue plan” for Liberia. He has committed to enhancing infrastructure, investing in agriculture, attracting foreign investments, promoting tourism, and restoring Liberia’s standing.

“His motivation is to rescue Liberia from the current state it is in,” Mohammed Ali, Boakai’s Unity Party spokesman, told AFP ahead of the vote.

He emphasized issues such as the “influx of illicit drugs, the increase in the poverty rate, and the low image of the country” as challenges that have escalated during Weah’s presidency.

His approach appears to have been effective.

While six years ago, Boakai secured 28.8 percent in the first round and 38.5 percent in the second, he matched Weah’s performance in this year’s initial round, with both candidates receiving approximately 43 percent of the vote.

With nearly all polling stations accounted for after the recent run-off, Boakai had secured 50.89 percent of the votes compared to Weah’s 49.11 percent.

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– Alliances –

Boakai has pledged to establish an inclusive government that mirrors the country’s political, ethnic, regional, religious, and gender diversity.

Several of the 18 other candidates who are no longer part of the second-round race have thrown their support behind him. In the initial round, Boakai adeptly formed alliances with local political figures, including former warlord Prince Johnson, who backed Weah in 2017 but now supports Boakai.

An associate of Johnson, presently a member of the Liberian Senate under US sanctions for corruption, and known for a 1990 video showing him sipping beer while his soldiers torture and kill President Samuel Doe, serves as Boakai’s running mate. Their ticket secured a decisive victory in the densely populated northeastern region.

Similar to 57-year-old Weah, Boakai belongs to the Indigenous population rather than the US-Liberian elite, founding members of the nation and descendants of slaves. Born in a remote village in Lofa County near the borders with Guinea and Sierra Leone, known as Liberia’s “breadbasket,” Boakai served as the agriculture minister from 1983 to 1985 under Doe.

He portrays himself as a humble man who ascended from modest beginnings through hard work and is married with four children.

– Age and credentials –

“He believes in perfection, he takes note of everything,” his senior adviser Augustin Konneh told AFP.

“Boakai is a very humble person.”