George Manneh Weah is a former professional footballer turned politician. He became the first African to win a major international football award, including the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d’Or.
Weah entered Liberia's political landscape in 2004 following his retirement from football.
In October 2005, Weah contested the presidency on the ticket of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) but was defeated by Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Africa's first female president) with 59.4 percent of the vote.
Fast-forward to 2017. Weah won the runoff election with 62.54 percent against Joseph N. Boakai. He served a constitutional term of six years and was defeated by President Boakai during the presidential runoff election in November 2023. Boakai succeeded him with a vote of 50.64 percent.
Constitutional Term Limits:
Article 50 of Liberia's 1986 Constitution states: "The President shall be elected by the people for a term of six years and may serve two terms only."
Based on this, there have been recent debates about whether it will constitute Weah's two terms stipulated within the above provision should he make a comeback in 2029. Some argue that Weah still stands a chance to participate in 2036 should he win the 2029 presidential elections; this is because Weah did not serve “back to back” (2017-2029), while some think otherwise.
This debate has been making rounds in professional chatrooms. Hence, TSM seeks a proper interpretation of this constitutional provision. We spoke with some Liberian lawyers to lend their thoughts.
Legal Expertise:
Cllr. Elisha T.J. Forkeyoh, newly elected Secretary General of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA), analyzed Article 50 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution and how it applies to the hypothetical scenario of George M. Weah running for the presidency again in 2036. He stated that the law provided that “The President shall be elected by the people for a term of six years and may serve two terms only.”
“This provision places a two-term limit on any individual who serves as President. The limitation is not tied to whether the terms are consecutive or non-consecutive; it applies to the total number of terms an individual may serve as President,” he explained.
Forkeyoh said, “This would mean he begins serving his second term as president (having already served one term from 2018 to 2024). By 2036, when his second term ends, he would have served the maximum two terms allowed under Article 50. Can he run again in 2036? No, he cannot. Article 50 restricts an individual to serving only two terms as President, irrespective of whether those terms are consecutive or separated by time.
Cllr. Forkeyoh furthered that if George M. Weah wins the 2029 election, he will not be eligible to contest the presidency in 2036 or any future election due to the two-term limit established by Article 50 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution.
On the other hand, Cllr. Beyan G. Mulbah argues that Article 50 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which states, "No person shall serve as President for more than two terms," has an unambiguous meaning. Some groups interpret this to mean only two consecutive terms are restricted (thus allowing non-consecutive terms).
Cllr. Mulbah strongly disagrees with this view. He bases his interpretation on fundamental rules of statutory construction, emphasizing that the Constitution's plain meaning should prevail. Since the word "consecutive" is not included in the text, it cannot be read into the provision.
He further explains that every word in a statute has a purpose, and words not included were intentionally omitted by the drafters. According to his interpretation, the Constitution sets an absolute limit of two terms for any person serving as President, regardless of whether these terms are consecutive or not
Conclusion: Should Weah win the 2029 presidential election, it would count as his second term (2018-2024 being his first), making him ineligible for future presidential runs under Article 50's provisions.
