Liberia’s Presidential Election: Two Women Among the Contenders

Liberia, the first African country to elect a female president, is gearing up for its presidential elections, and history may be in the making once again. Among the 18 candidates, which include the incumbent President George Weah, two women have thrown their hats into the ring.

The presidential race in Liberia is shaping up to be a three-horse competition, with the leading contenders being the current President George M. Weah, former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, and former Coca-Cola Executive Alexander B. Cummings. However, the spotlight is also on two female candidates, Sara Beysolow Nyanti and Bendu Kromah.

Liberia has a significant historical milestone in gender equality, having elected its first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in 2005. However, despite this achievement, the country still grapples with issues related to gender equality, as evidenced by President Weah’s recent veto of a proposed electoral law that aimed to establish a 30 percent quota for women’s representation in politics.

Gender Parity and Challenges

While Liberia has made some progress in terms of gender parity, there is still work to be done. According to a 2022 Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) report, the country’s legislature has only a 12.33 percent female representation, with women holding just nine out of 73 seats.

In the current presidential elections, there are 153 female candidates out of a total of 1,030 aspirants. Achieving gender parity remains a challenge, but Liberia has performed relatively well on the global scale. In the 2023 global gender gap index by the World Economic Forum, Liberia ranked 39th out of 146 countries.

The presence of two female candidates in the presidential race raises hopes for another female president in Liberia. However, unseating an incumbent president is always a challenging task in politics.

Sara Beysolow Nyanti, who seems to have garnered more visibility than her female counterpart, Bendu Kromah, has a background in humanitarian work and a history of serving in key roles within Liberia. Nevertheless, both women are considered political newcomers compared to the male candidates.

With a voting population of around 2.4 million, a female president would need to secure at least 50 percent of the votes cast. In the event that no party reaches this threshold, a runoff election will be held, with the two leading parties competing for a simple majority.

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The Odds and Challenges

Mary Ikoku, founder of Emerge Women Development, expressed doubt about Nyanti’s chances of winning the elections due to several factors. These include Nyanti’s late entry into the race, limited recognition of her political party, and the power of incumbency enjoyed by President Weah.

Despite these challenges, Liberia’s history of electing a female president serves as a beacon of hope for gender equality. Nyanti and Kromah are making their mark in a political landscape dominated by men, and their campaigns aim to bring about positive change in Liberia.

Read Also-I’m Not Interested In 3rd Term – Liberia’s President, George Weah

Meet the Female Presidential Candidates

Sara Beysolow Nyanti:

Born in 1968, Nyanti has a master’s degree in public administration and has worked as a development expert for organizations like UNICEF, UNDP, and the World Bank. Her campaigns focus on promoting patriotism and unity in Liberia.

Bendu Kromah:

Kromah, originally from Gbarnga City, holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics and a master’s in business administration. She has worked as a civil servant in the United States. Kromah’s experience and background contribute to her candidacy.

As Liberia heads to the polls, the world watches with anticipation, wondering if this African nation will once again create history by electing another female president.

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