Candidates pull out all stops
2005-11-03 14:55
Nairobi - Presidential candidate rivals George Weah and Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson have made their obvious differences a cornerstone of their campaigns in the race for the November 8 run-offs towards Liberia's top job.
The 39-year-old soccer millionaire Weah is revered by most of Liberia's youth, who like their soccer legend, grew up in poverty and have never finished school. King George, as he is popularly known, is a political novice with little experience off the football pitch.
In contrast, 66-year-old Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson's academic and professional credentials as a Harvard-trained economist and former top United Nations official are the qualities many believe are essential to lead the country after years of upheaval.
But her experience includes a past as an erstwhile supporter of now exiled former president Charles Taylor. She is also seen by many as the face of a corrupt political elite that reduced the mineral- rich West African country to one of the poorest countries in the world.
Mixed feelings about Weah's capabilities
About 80% of Liberians are illiterate and unemployed. Although many look at Weah as a ray of hope for their war-scarred country, nagging questions remain about his capacity to lead a battle-hardened citizenry.
Apart from the crude comparisons between the high-school dropout soccer millionaire and the former economist with the World Bank, there are fears that the presidential poll will be reduced to a choice between a "native" (Weah) and a descendant of American-Liberian "settlers" (Sirleaf-Johnson).
The country is deeply divided between the descendants of the American-freed slaves who have ruled over their indigenous African compatriots between Independence in the 19th century and Samuel Does successful coup in 1980.
Sirleaf-Johnson draws most of her support from the American-Liberian educated elite.
Weah touts himself as a peacemaker with no bias nor allegiance to past political groupings.
Support from former warlords
But the campaign by Weah's Congress for Democracy seems to be in a race with Sirleaf-Johnson's Unity party to canvass votes from former warlords and the 20 defeated presidential candidates.
In a surprising move, Jewel Taylor, wife of exiled former president Charles Taylor and newly elected senator, is backing the campaign of her husband's erstwhile supporter now bitter rival, Sirleaf-Johnson.
Mrs Taylor is under a UN travel ban as well having her assets frozen, and her husband is wanted for war crimes in neighbouring Sierra Leone. Many fear that he continues to wield influence over Liberian politics from his residence in Nigeria.
And as former warlords are betting on whoever they believe will best represent their interests in a post-war Liberia, analysts believe the political inexperienced Weah may be most vulnerable to manipulation by ruthless and seasoned political operators. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA