Violence marred the conclusion of Liberian President George Weah’s re-election campaign on Sunday. Scuffles between his supporters and opposition members erupted during a parade in the capital, Monrovia, as witnessed by media.
No official casualty count was available on Sunday evening, but witnesses observed at least five men with injuries, some of whom had significant head wounds.
Members of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), the political group led by former football star Weah, clashed with members of the opposition ALCOP during a parade. Stones were thrown between the two groups, and police responded by firing tear gas.
While the main political parties have promised peaceful elections, concerns over electoral violence have risen following the deaths of three individuals in clashes between rival political groups last month. Liberia has a history of violence, with back-to-back civil wars between 1989 and 2003 resulting in over 250,000 deaths.
Voters have prioritized peace and development as key concerns as they prepare for the first round of voting on Tuesday.
To win, a candidate must get at least 50 percent plus one of the votes cast.
If no party manages to meet this threshold, the top two parties from the first round will advance to a run-off election, decided by a simple majority.
Weah, facing competition from 19 other presidential candidates, drew thousands of supporters to the capital for the concluding event of his campaign on Sunday.
“We must all cherish this peace and continue to preserve it, because without peace, our world will be difficult. Without peace, development will not take place,” he said in a speech at his party’s headquarters.
Weah assumed office with promises of job creation and investments in education, but his critics argue that he has not fulfilled these commitments.
