Disband vigilante groups – EC to political parties

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, Jean Mensa, has appealed to political parties in the country to disband all vigilante groups attached to the parties.

Mrs Mensa, who appeared before a Commission of Inquiry tasked to probe the gun violence associated with the recently held Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election said: “Our parties must do away with their vigilantism and the citizens must condemn it.”

Some heavily-armed operatives shot and wounded supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the private residence of the party’s candidate about an hour into the by-election on Thursday, 31 January 2019.

Some civilians were also beaten up, including a Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Sam George. He was slapped in the melee in the full glare of some police officers.

The gun-related violence disrupted the voting process at the La Bawaleshie JHS polling station.

Even though security authorities insist that the gunmen were national security operatives, the NDC maintains that the masked men were vigilantes associated with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) who were empowered to go and cause mayhem.

Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com