Post-2016 Election: CODEO kickstarts public engagement on political party vigilantism

The engagement comes on the back of the dangers that political party vigilante groups pose to the country’s electoral politics and democratic development.

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has begun a nationwide engagement on the phenomenon of political party vigilantism in the country.

As part of its post-2016 election activities, CODEO said that the engagement is in recognition of the dangers that political party vigilante groups pose to the country’s electoral politics and democratic development.

The engagements, to be held in all ten regional capitals, will take the form of roundtable discussions, focus group discussion, and special briefings with the media.

“It will bring together all relevant stakeholders, particularly the security agencies, political parties, peace promotion institutions, and civil society, among others, to address this growing menace in the country’s democracy,” CODEO said in a statement signed by Albert Arhin, its National Coordinator.

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Some vigilante groups particularly affiliated to the governing New Patriotic Party have reportedly carried out various violent attacks on some individuals in recent times. Some of these groups have even taken over some state agencies following the party’s election victory.

The engagements will also be used as an avenue to stimulate and sustain discussions on the menacing effects of vigilante group activities in the politics of the country.

The partner institutions will also use the outcomes of the engagements to conduct civic and voter education against the phenomenon, as well as advocacy, to disband party vigilantism in Ghana’s electoral politics.

Some of the interventions expected from these public engagements include the development of a comprehensive advocacy policy recommendation for all stakeholders to implement and a campaign to end vigilantism, among others.

The series of public engagements have been made possible with the generous support of the American people through USAID.

The engagement comes on the back of the dangers that political party vigilante groups pose to the country’s electoral politics and democratic development. Read Full Story