MONROVIA: Ex-international football star George Weah is running for a second tenure as Liberia’s president in polls on Tuesday, with peace and development among voters’ main concerns.
Under a tin roof by a petrol station in Buchanan, nearly 150 kilometres (93 miles) east of the capital city Monrovia, a group of men discussed their priorities for the 10 October presidential and parliamentary elections, according to AFP.
They talked about education and roads, better healthcare, jobs and the cost of living. But in a nation scarred by back-to-back civil wars, there was one overriding problem.
Conflicts in Liberia
From 1989 to 2003, the conflicts in the West African country left more than 250,000 people dead.
The main political parties have vowed a peaceful election, but the recent killing of 3 people in clashes between supporters of the two major political parties has fuelled fears of a return to violence.
We advise to the youth, whoever is the winner in the elections , we should accept it. Whether it is our candidate or it us not, said David Tokpah, 55.
He said that the past war was dreadful. Many innocents lost their lives. It should not happen again.
The authorities have pledged to track down troublemakers, while the electoral commission is trying to reassure people it can organise fair and credible elections.
The European Union (EU), the African Union (AU), the West African bloc ECOWAS and the United States (US) have deployed observers, in a region hit by a string of recent coups.
