Ignore the Police, Beat the Traders and Slaughter Cows: Three controversial policies of Kumasi Mayor
Barely a month into his appointment as the Mayor of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, popularly known as King Zuba, has sparked public controversy over his policies and actions.
As the administrative head of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), his bold declarations have drawn backlash, particularly from human rights activists and the general public.
With his aim to “make Kumasi work again,” the mayor has proposed controversial measures, including beating traders, slaughtering stray cows, and bypassing police cooperation.
These actions have been heavily criticized by sections of the public.
Here are three controversial statements the mayor has made since assuming office:
1. Beating traders
Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi announced that the KMA would begin a two-week decongestion exercise on Wednesday, April 16, 2024, to remove vendors operating on pavements and roadsides. He warned that anyone caught selling on the streets would face harsh consequences.
The mayor explained that previous measures, such as seizing goods and making arrests, had failed to deter traders, who often returned to the streets. He argued that such acts of indiscipline contributed to increased city traffic and needed to be addressed.
Speaking at a news conference in Kumasi on Monday, April 14, Boadi stated that his strategy, which combines democratic ideals with military-style policing, would effectively discourage street vendors.
“I have my own military-democratic style, which I will be implementing. When we say leave the space, and you don’t leave the space, and I get there with my boys, we will beat you. If I’m alone, you will be lucky, but if I’m with my ten boys in their pick-up with their whips, trust me, we will beat you. If you don’t want to experience that kind of situation, do what is right and lawful,” he warned.
2. Slaughtering stray cows to feed prisoners
The mayor has announced that any stray cattle found within the jurisdiction of the KMA would be arrested, slaughtered, and their meat sent to the Kumasi Central Prisons to feed inmates.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, he stated that this directive was part of broader measures to restore order and cleanliness in Kumasi.
“If you’re a cattle owner and your cattle stray into the vicinity of KMA, be assured that from May 1, those cattle will be killed and given to the Kumasi Central Prisons for feeding. I cannot sit here and let visitors encounter cow dung when driving from the airport to Manhyia. This is unacceptable. Please help me get our city disciplined,” he emphasized.
3. Bypassing police cooperation
The mayor has expressed his reluctance to rely on the police always to arrest recalcitrant traders who defy his orders. Instead, he plans to implement his “military-democratic style” of enforcement.
“There is something we are going to do, and that is why I need your support. I don’t like reporting too many things to the police.
“I don’t like a situation where we arrest people, and they find their way out of the police station and return to the streets. When we say leave this space, and you don’t leave, and I get there with my boys, we will beat you,” he declared.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
