A new dawn in Africa
- Speak Afrika
- Apr 9, 2018
- 1 min read
Former football star George Weah has been elected as Liberia's president.
With nearly all ballots from Tuesday's run-off vote counted, Mr Weah is well ahead of opponent Joseph Boakai with more than 60% of the vote.
As news of Mr Weah's victory emerged, his supporters began celebrating in the capital Monrovia.
He will succeed Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female president, in Liberia's first democratic handover in decades.
"My fellow Liberians, I deeply feel the emotion of all the nation," Mr Weah wrote on Twitter after the results were announced.
"I measure the importance and the responsibility of the immense task which I embrace today. Change is on."
Mr Boakai has conceded victory and phoned Mr Weah to congratulate him.
Who is George Weah?
Mr Weah, who was raised in a slum in Liberia's capital Monrovia, starred at top-flight European football clubs Paris St-Germain (PSG) and AC Milan, before ending his career in England with brief stays at Chelsea and Manchester City.
He is the only African footballer to have won both Fifa World Player of the Year and the prestigious Ballon D'Or.
He entered politics after his retirement from the game in 2002 and is currently a senator in Liberia's parliament.
His former club, PSG, congratulated him on Twitter.
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