Football stars, Liberians hail Weah’s election win

Internationalfootball stars and Liberians on Friday celebrated George Weah’spresidential victory in the West African country’s first democratictransfer of power after two devastating civil wars, as the former acestriker vowed to usher in change.Idolised in Liberia as “MisterGeorge”, Weah is set to replace Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who in 2006 tookover the country founded by freed US slaves.He will be sworn in on January 22.The51-year-old, who grew up in grinding poverty, starred at Europeangiants Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan in the 1990s, before brieflyplaying for Chelsea and Manchester City toward the end of his career.He entered politics after retiring from football in 2002.Electoralboard president Jerome Korkoya confirmed Weah’s run-off victory late onFriday evening, following an official tally of results.“I, actingon behalf of the board of commissioners, do hereby declare thepresidential ticket of Senator George Weah and Jewel Howard-Taylor asthe winner from the December 26, 2017 presidential run-off election,”Korkoya said.Weah easily beat Vice-President Joseph Boakai inThursday’s run-off vote, gaining 61.5% of the ballot against 38.5% forhis rival and winning in 14 of Liberia’s 15 counties.“My fellowLiberians, I deeply feel the emotion of all the nation. I measure theimportance and the responsibility of the immense task which I embracetoday. Change is on,” Weah said on Twitter.Boakai conceded defeat on Friday and said he had called Weah to congratulate him.He also appealed for unity, saying: “My love for the country is far (more) profound than my desire for the presidency.“Ireject any temptation of imposing pain, hardship, agony anduncertainty,” he said. “My name will not be used as (an) excuse for onedrop of human blood to be spilt in this country.”The White House in astatement congratulated “the people of Liberia ... and President-electGeorge Weah on his victory” and called the vote “a major milestone forLiberia’s democracy”.French President Emmanuel Macron also hailedthe ex-star striker’s victory, saying: “Congratulations to Mister Georgefor this election! Great moment for Liberia!”He also invited Weah to visit France and the invitation had been accepted, Macron’s office said.Hisformer club Paris Saint-Germain tweeted: “We knew George Weah waybefore he became President-elect of Liberia. Congrats to the PSG andworld football legend on the latest chapter of his brilliant career!!!”Tributespoured in from former Chelsea star Didier Drogba, Manchester Citymidfielder Yaya Toure and Marseille’s former Cameroon midfielderStephane Mbia.AC Milan offered their congratulations “to the Red and Black legend” who starred for the club over four seasons.Weah was already facing pressure on Friday to improve the lives of millions of Liberians living in abject poverty.“Ithink the Liberian people will expect ... Weah’s presidency to (have a)pro-poor, pro-growth policy that will put the people at the centre ofnational development. Wherein that power is given to the people; theprovision of education, youth training for disadvantaged and vulnerableyouths that are on the streets and who see themselves in him,” saidpolitical analyst Vita Ishmael Tue.Clinton Taryor from Weah’s CDCparty added: “Mr. President, don’t forget your roots. We are not behindyou because you’re handsome or because you are a star ... some of us arebehind you because we know that you walked in our shoes.”Thetumultuous events of the past 70 years in Liberia, where an estimated250,000 people died during back-to-back civil wars between 1989-2003,have prevented a democratic handover from taking place since 1944.Sirleaf’spredecessor Charles Taylor fled the country in 2003, hoping to avoidprosecution for funding rebel groups in neighbouring Sierra Leone.Two presidents who served prior to Taylor were assassinated.TheSirleaf administration guided the nation out of the ruins of war andthrough the horrors of the 2014-16 Ebola crisis, but is accused offailing to combat poverty and corruption.Boakai, who served inSirleaf’s government for 12 years, was “riding on a ticket with excessbaggage”, Liberian daily Frontpage Africa said on Friday.“In theeyes of many, nepotism, corruption, waste, and a messy educationalsystem have dogged the government’s legacy, and its by-product is ashrinking economy,” it said.Weah, the only African ever to have wonboth FIFA’s World Player of the Year and the coveted Ballon D’Or, missedout on the presidency in a 2005 bid.His latest campaign was not without controversy, however.Hehas drawn some criticism for picking Howard-Taylor, the powerfulex-wife of former warlord and president Charles Taylor, as hisvice-president.Taylor is serving a 50-year sentence in jail for war crimes.Weahalso had the backing of a notorious former warlord Prince Johnson, whosipped a beer as his men brutally tortured former president SamuelKanyon Doe to death.