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Wyclef Jean Says He Will Run for President of Haiti

By Ruth Manuel-Logan on Aug 4th 2010 11:19AM

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Wyclef Jean says he will run to be president of Haiti


If I was president...if I was president, instead of spending billions on the war, I can use that money, to feed the poor. I know some so poor, when it rains that's when they shower, when screaming "fight the power." That's when the vulture devoured, if I was president....

Wyclef John wrote the lyrics to his hit song 'If I Were President' just six years ago, and now it may very well ring true. Haitian-born Jean will announce on 'Larry King Live' on Thursday night that he will officially run for his homeland's highest political post.



Jean has completed all of the necessary documentation to be seriously considered for the job.

Although the Brooklyn-raised entertainer and entrepreneur has lived on these shores for nearly 30 years, he never applied for citizenship. Jean has managed to reside in both the United States and Haiti, which is a stipulation for seeking presidency.

To run for president, an applicant must be Haitian-born and never have renounced the country's nationality. The candidate must also own at least one Haitian real estate property and had habitual residence in the country for at least five years before the election date. Jean has apparently met all of the criteria.

The Haitian humanitarian is quite popular among the younger people of his homeland. So far, he is the clear successor to current president René Garcia Préval, who cannot stand for re-election.

As the founder of the charitable organization Yéle Haiti, Jean has worked tirelessly, through fundraising efforts, to help rebuild his ravaged birthplace. Since the Jan. 12 earthquake that ripped his homeland apart, the former Fugees member has raised more than $9 million to aid the country, proving that his dedication to Haiti is boundless.

Haiti has been a place where political instability has reigned supreme. Only time will tell if Jean will be able to shift the climate to one that is truly beneficial for his people.



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