What happened during the Talensi by-election is a clear sign of what could happen during the 2016 general election if care is not taken. “Violence begets violence”, as stated by the Minister of Interior, Mr Mark Woyongo, is fast becoming the new campaign mantra of the two major political parties — the National Democracy Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Both parties have accused each other of using all kinds of dangerous weapons, including machetes and guns, to attack members of their parties, leading to injuries and the destruction of vehicles.
According to the Daily Graphic report of Thursday, July 9, 2015, more than four vehicles were shot at and destroyed by party thugs and hoodlums in Talensi. This problem, if not checked, would result in hatred, war and loss of lives and property.
According to the same report on the Talensi by-election, the NDC and the NPP were both involved in fierce vote buying, which resulted in violence.
These acts of violence led to severe bruises to victims who eventually ran to the nearby hospitals for treatment. Vigilantes
It was also stated that the political parties cited were using vigilante groups identified as the Azorka Boys, the Bamba Boys, the Invincible Forces and the Bolga Bull Dogs in their activities.
These groups were alleged to have visited lawlessness and mayhem on the Talensi constituency. Caution
Politicians think they are using these people for political expediency, but only time will tell when these vigilantes would turn round to use the politicians as a shield for their criminal activities.
There is no doubt that the vigilantes have a powerful network around them made up of politicians, chiefs and influential people in society.
This is because for all their lawlessness, there is no history of anyone of them having been arrested by the police which could mean that when they commit crime, they activate this network to get them out of trouble. Grave concern
What happened in Talensi during the by-election calls for serious concern so the law enforcement agencies must act with dispatch to apprehend all those believed to have participated in the acts of violence.
I appeal to all to try to collectively seek a lasting solution to this bad phenomenon and begin to name and shame perpetrators behind the violence in our body politic.
I agree with many stakeholders, including ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, who have called for the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators. Destiny and chance
What happened in Talensi was not part of our destiny but a matter of choice and not by chance. Ghanaian leaders should not be like the three friends in a story I read in my primary school days — the noisy singing bird, rope and the tortoise. In that story, the tortoise warned rope to tell the noisy bird to keep quiet, but rope said to tortoise, “I cannot be bothered.”
The unexpected happened. A hunter heard the bird sing and shot it down. Right beneath the tree where the dead bird fell, he saw the tortoise and picked it.
He realised he needed something to tie both prey. He saw the rope on the tree and cut it. He tied them and carried them home for a meal.
The tortoise exclaimed at the verge of dying in a sad voice to rope; “You cannot be bothered but today, you are bothered!”
What happened during the Talensi by-election should not be seen as a mere event but one whose repeat could cause war in 2016.
I am therefore appealing to the President, his cabinet and the entire executive to intervene in these acts as quickly as possible when they happen.
The police do not need any other intervention from anywhere before enforcing the law.
They must collaborate with stakeholders, including religious and traditional authorities, civil society organisations and opinion leaders to rein in politicians and individuals who would want to undermine our democracy, security and well-being.
The police must try to always give hope and assurance that we are safe everywhere in this country.
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