MONROVIA, LIBERIA – An uncomfortable encounter between Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and former President George Weah has reignited speculation about unresolved tensions stemming from the 2023 presidential election.
Koung, speaking during an interview on the Closing Argument Platform while visiting the United States, disclosed that Weah refused to shake his hand during a visit to the home of the late Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson shortly after his death last year. The incident, which played out in front of other dignitaries, is being viewed as a sign of strained relations between the current administration and the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
According to Koung, he arrived at the Johnson residence ahead of other officials to express his condolences to the family. Later, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf notified him of her planned visit, which prompted him to remain at the residence to greet her. Koung said he welcomed Sirleaf without incident, but when Weah arrived soon after, the situation took an unexpected turn.
“As a sitting Vice President and someone he knows personally, I felt it was appropriate to approach his car and extend a greeting,” Koung explained. “I offered my hand, but he refused to shake it. He also ignored Representative Samuel Kogar, a relative of the late Senator Johnson.”
Koung initially dismissed the snub as a possible health precaution but later realized it was intentional when Weah shook hands with other attendees, including Labor Minister Cooper Kruah. This, he suggested, indicated a deliberate decision by the former president to avoid acknowledging him.
The Vice President hinted that Weah’s cold reception may be linked to his role in the Unity Party’s victory in the 2023 presidential election. Koung, who ran as President Joseph Boakai’s vice-presidential candidate, implied that Weah’s lingering disappointment over his electoral defeat was influencing his behavior.
“If he is still holding on to resentment because I supported the Unity Party, then he will have to live with it for the next five years,” Koung remarked. “I had ambitions just as he did. He wanted to remain president, and I wanted to be vice president.” This is the reality until the next election.”
The public nature of the incident has amplified discussions about the deepening divide between the Unity Party-led government and the CDC. Political observers argue that the snub reflects broader frustrations within the CDC over their unexpected loss and suggests that the former ruling party remains unsettled as the Boakai administration consolidates power.
Despite the tense encounter, Koung downplayed the personal implications, urging Weah to focus on the future rather than dwell on past political rivalries.
