Liberia's Johnson Sirleaf marks 79th birthday, final celebration as president

Outgoing Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is celebrating her 79th birthday and final milestone as president on Sunday.

The country entered into a celebratory mode to observe the special day of the Nobel laureate who cut a cake at the Executive Mansion around family and friends.

Her church, the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in Monrovia organised a special service in her honour.

The service included Methodist song ministration which was broadcast live on radio to involve the country in the party.

Described as the Mother of the Nation, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected in 2005 as the country’s first female president and Africa’s first elected female president.

She also won the 2011 election and after exhausting her two-term limit, she announced that she will not contest in the 2017 election.

20 candidates vied to replace Sirleaf on October 10. George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai led the pack but failed to gain 50.1% of the votes to be winner.

A run-off on November 7 between the two top candidates will determine who will be the next president of Liberia.

Sirleaf said she will engage in lecturing, farming and reading after she hands over power to her successor.