Joseph Boakai sworn in as Liberia’s president, promises to work for all citizens

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) — Joseph Boakai was sworn in as Liberia's president on Monday, striking a conciliatory tone after a divisive election last year.

Boakai was sworn in for a six-year term at a ceremony in parliament in the capital of Monrovia, promising to work for all citizens of the West African nation as he called for "inclusivity and reconciliation" in his inauguration speech.

This followed his victory over former football star George Weah by a slim margin of less than 2 percentage points in a Nov. 14 runoff poll.

Boakai, 79, won the tight election with 50.64% of the vote compared to 49.36% for Weah.

With about 40 years in politics, Boakai served as vice president from 2006 to 2018 under Liberia's first woman president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who also attended the inaugural ceremony.

He campaigned on a promise to create more jobs, improve the economy, strengthen institutions, and fight corruption.

On Sunday evening, Ballon d'Or winner Weah, who was elected in 2017, said in a speech to the nation that his opponent's inauguration would be a historic moment, marking another significant milestone in the nation's democratic journey.

Weah urged Liberians to continue "to be law-abiding, seek peaceful means to resolve differences and embrace tolerance and dialogue."