Jeremiah Koung facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeremiah Koung
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Koung in 2024
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| 31st Vice President of Liberia | |
| Assumed office 22 January 2024 |
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| President | Joseph Boakai |
| Preceded by | Jewel Taylor |
| Member of the Senate of Liberia from Nimba County |
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| In office 14 January 2021 – 22 January 2024 Serving with Prince Johnson
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| Preceded by | Thomas S. Grupee |
| Succeeded by | Nya D. Twayen Jr. |
| Member of the House of Representatives of Liberia | |
| In office 2012–2021 |
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| Preceded by | Francis Luogon Karway |
| Succeeded by | Samuel N. Brown Sr. |
| Constituency | Nimba-1 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jeremiah Kpan Koung
17 March 1978 Yekepa, Nimba, Liberia |
| Political party | Unity Party |
| Other political affiliations |
National Union for Democratic Progress Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction |
| Spouse | Synleseh Stephanie Dahn-Koung |
| Alma mater | Cuttington University (BA) |
| Occupation | Politician |
Jeremiah Kpan Koung Sr. (born March 17, 1978) is an important politician from Liberia. He is currently the 31st Vice President of Liberia. Before becoming Vice President, he was a member of the House of Representatives of Liberia from 2012 to 2020. He was then elected to the Senate of Liberia in 2020.
In 2022, he became the leader of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction political party. In 2023, Jeremiah Koung joined the Unity Party. Joseph Boakai, who was running for president, chose Koung to be his running mate. This means Koung would become Vice President if Boakai won the election.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jeremiah Koung was born on March 17, 1978, in Yekepa, Nimba County. He started primary school there in 1981. In 1983, he moved to Ganta with his father. Later, in 1986, he went to live with his aunt in Buchanan.
His schooling was stopped for a while because of the First Liberian Civil War in 1990. By 1996, Koung returned to Ganta after living in a refugee camp in Guinea. That same year, he enrolled in high school and finished in 2001. He began studying at Cuttington University in 2006. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration in 2010. Jeremiah Koung is married to Synleseh Stephanie Dahn-Koung.
Political Career
Serving in the House of Representatives
Jeremiah Koung was first elected to the House of Representatives of Liberia in 2011. He ran with the National Union for Democratic Progress party. Senator Prince Johnson, a political leader, supported Koung's campaign. Koung represented the Nimba County #1 District.
While serving in the House, Koung started building the Ester and Jereline Medical Center in 2011. This hospital was finished in July 2016.
Moving to the Senate
In the 2017 election, Koung was re-elected to his seat in the House of Representatives. This time, he ran under the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) party. In the 2020 election, Koung decided to run for the Senate of Liberia. Senator Johnson again supported his campaign. Koung won the election and became a Senator for the MDR party.
On December 22, 2022, Koung became the second leader of the MDR party. He took over from Senator Johnson, who founded the party. As the new leader, Koung continued to oppose the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change party.
Becoming Vice President
On April 28, 2023, Joseph Boakai, who was the leader of the Unity Party (UP), announced that Jeremiah Koung would be his running mate. This meant Koung would run alongside Boakai in the 2023 presidential election. Koung officially became a full member of the Unity Party before this announcement.
After the first election in October, neither Boakai and Koung nor the current leaders, George Weah and Jewel Taylor, received enough votes to win. This led to a second election, called a run-off, in November. On November 10, during a campaign event in Zor-Zoalay Town, Nimba County, there was an attack. Several people were hurt, but Senators Koung and Johnson were able to escape safely.
On November 17, 2023, after the run-off election, President Weah accepted that he had lost. This meant Joseph Boakai became the president-elect, and Jeremiah Koung became the vice president-elect. They officially took office on January 22, 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Jeremiah Koung para niños
