Vigilantism and Election 2020

If you search 'vigilante group' on google, almost all the results are news stories on vigilantism in Ghana. If you have lived in the country over the last decade, you would not need an explanation as to why this is so.

The quest for political power is gradually making the use of vigilante groups a part of Ghanaian politics and unfortunately eating fast and deep into the democratic fabrics of the country.

Particularly from the later part of 2016, these groups have been used to cause mayhem with impudence. They have removed public officials from office, released persons standing trial in court, amongst others.

Several calls on the political parties to disband these groups seem to have fallen on deaf ears and this is worrying since the 2020 election was less than 24 months away.

Speakers at the New Year School and Conference last week unanimously predicted doom for the country in next year's general elections if efforts were not strengthened to stamp out vigilantism.

Describing the threat as having assumed complex dimensions and now an entrepreneurial venture, the speakers were of the view that prevailing political atmosphere should be purged else the country would be in crisis.

Comprising, Dr Emmanuel Kwesi Aning, the Director, Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research of the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre, the Director General of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards, Commissioner of Police Kofi Boakye and Former General Secretary of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Mr Ivor Greeenstreet, the speakers spoke on the theme, "Political vigilantism and Ghana's democracy."

Dr Aning's revelation that the number of vigilante groups which was pegged at 17 prior to the 2016 elections had seen increase in recent times is not only scary but a sign of grave danger.

The worrying aspect of the situation is that the law enforcement agencies, due to political influences are unable to clamp down on the activities of the groups for fear of being victimised.

We agree with COP Kofi Boakye that the lapses in the police architecture, criminal justice system, civil society and citizenry need to be addressed to enable the police administration to clamp down on vigilante groups.

For us at Ghanaian Times, it is time for politicians to quit paying lip service to vigilantism and disband their groups to show their commitment to peace in the 2020 elections.

The government should take concrete steps to create enabling environment for the law enforcement agencies to work in peace without fear of victimisation.

The politicians should not forget that they were equally vulnerable to the danger the vigilante groups posed to the citizenry and must put aside their immediate personal interest for peaceful elections.

Like COP Bokye said at the New Year school, "Vigilantism is escalating and it is a clear danger for the country. 2020 will be explosive and the time has come for us all to say enough is enough to stop these acts of hooliganism."

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