Politics, Africa

Former football star to run for Liberian presidency

George Weah accepts backing to fight presidential election in 2017

29.04.2016 - Update : 29.04.2016
Former football star to run for Liberian presidency George Weah, a former FIFA player of the year and Balloon d’Or winner

Monrovia

By Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh

MONROVIA

A former African footballing legend who now leads Liberia’s main opposition party will contest the country’s presidential election next year.

George Weah, a former FIFA player of the year and Balloon d’Or winner, heads up the Congress for Democratic Change. Addressing supporters in the capital Monrovia on Thursday, Weah said the ruling party of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had failed to deliver liberation and better lives for people in the country.

Weah was responding to petitions from thousands of backers to become the party’s choice to fight next year’s poll.

Speaking to supporters, the 50-year-old politician said: “We have seen that the majority of Liberians continue to live in abject poverty, even though billions of dollars have been put at the disposal of this government.

“Education remains a mess, health delivery system a disaster, agriculture a wasteland, while electricity and pipe-borne water still elusive.”

Weah told supporters he would ensure a budgetary increase for job creation and youth empowerment through technical and vocational training.

Weah has lost two successive elections to the ruling Unity Party in his quest to lead the country.

In 2005 he was a major contender against President Sirleaf, but lost. In 2011 Weah ran for vice-president, this time with the son of Liberian former president Winston Tubman as running mate, but again fell short.

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