Domesticating Vigilantism in Ghana’s Fourth Republic: The Challenge Ahead

Abstract

Political party vigilantism in Ghana has consistently been on the ascendency since the return to Constitutional rule in 1993. Their activities have usually been during and after elections across the country. By-elections in Atiwa, Akwatia, Chereponi, Talensi, Amenfi West and more recently Ayawaso West Wuogon, have all been marred by acts of violence. Ghana in 2017 recorded for the first time political party vigilante groups storming a courtroom in Kumasi and freeing some of their members standing trial after assaulting a regional security coordinator in the second largest region in the country -Ashanti region. The paper seeks to highlight the dangers inherent in this rather negative development which could reverse the gains Ghana has made in consolidating its democracy. The author relied on secondary data including relevant media publications and statements from civil society organizations, political parties and religious bodies on vigilantism in Ghana. Findings show that the seed of vigilantism has been sowed and allowed to be nurtured to the extent that the parties have taken uncompromising positions in ending the cancer because it borders on political power. A law has been passed but indications are that nothing much is changing. The National Peace Council has intervened yet there is no sign of lasting solution to the problem. The paper concludes that all stakeholders especially the civil society organizations and Original Research ArticleAsekere; ARJASS, 10(3): 24-39, 2020; Article no.ARJASS.55535 25 the religious bodies ought to be objective and bold to openly name and shame political parties whose members engage in negative acts of vigilantism and urge the masses to vote against such parties or else the phenomenon will persist and its ramifications will be disastrous.

An Analysis of Political Vigilantism in Ghana Using the Spitcerow Model

“…There are several changes in political vigilantism since it resurfaced in the political landscape of Ghana in 1992. For instance, the number of political vigilante groups and their activities has increased (Asekere, 2020). Unlike the in the early part of the fourth republic, political vigilante activities and violence have become more pronounced and intense.…”

“…In 2019, a Vigilantism and Related Offences Law (Act 999) was passed to ban and criminalize all forms of vigilantism in the country. However, there are concerns that it may not end the menace (Asekere, 2020;Dumenu & Adzraku, 2020;GhanaWeb, 2021, February 17).…”

“…Aspiring candidates or their supporters or vigilante groups linked to them now use amongst others, intimidation, abusive language, threats, and physical attacks during political party internal and primary elections to further their agenda. The number of vigilante groups has also surged (Asekere, 2020) and spread across the country. It is worrying that people are now forming and operating vigilante groups as a business (Dumenu & Adzraku, 2020).…”

The 2020 General Elections in Ghana: An Analysis of the Issues, Voting Pattern and Impact

“…(1965, 1969, 1979 and run-off, 1992, 1996, 2000 Scholarship on Ghanaian politics abounds. They include various aspects of democracy such as elections, manifestos, party funding, patron-client relations, internal democracy, gender and leadership and political party vigilante groups [14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

“…Another area of concern to scholars recently is the influence of political party vigilante groups on elections in Ghana. Scholars who have written about this subject concord that vigilantism poses a threat to Ghana's electoral politics [27,15,28]. Others have extensively explored the winnertakes-all politics and how that led to the acrimonious atmosphere during Ghanaian elections [29][30].…”