Liberia counts votes

MONROVIA – Election workers toiled by lamplight yesterday to count votes from Liberia’s presidential election pitting millionaire soccer star George Weah against former World Bank economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

In the shattered capital Monrovia, racked by a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003, large groups gathered on the darkened streets outside tea houses to debate the outcome, as local radio announced results polling station by polling station. “This is about Liberia.It doesn’t matter if Ellen wins or George wins,” said Dash Hammond, 30, to cheers from friends.”Today we Liberians are living like animals.We need someone who can unify the Liberian people.”The runoff to choose the first post-war president pits the celebrity of Weah, 39, against the qualifications of Johnson-Sirleaf, a 66-year-old Harvard trained economist who has served as finance minister.Weah’s opponents say the former FIFA world player of the Year – a high school drop-out and political novice – lacks the experience to reconstruct the West African country, still without running water or mains electricity two years after the war.The footballer topped the Oct.11 first round with 28 per cent of the vote, ahead of Johnson-Sirleaf on 20 per cent, and 20 other candidates.- Nampa-Reuters”This is about Liberia.It doesn’t matter if Ellen wins or George wins,” said Dash Hammond, 30, to cheers from friends.”Today we Liberians are living like animals.We need someone who can unify the Liberian people.”The runoff to choose the first post-war president pits the celebrity of Weah, 39, against the qualifications of Johnson-Sirleaf, a 66-year-old Harvard trained economist who has served as finance minister.Weah’s opponents say the former FIFA world player of the Year – a high school drop-out and political novice – lacks the experience to reconstruct the West African country, still without running water or mains electricity two years after the war.The footballer topped the Oct.11 first round with 28 per cent of the vote, ahead of Johnson-Sirleaf on 20 per cent, and 20 other candidates.- Nampa-Reuters