Richard Ofori-Agyeman Boadi addressing the media
In a fiery and unconventional move to restore order, sanitation, and discipline in the Ashanti Regional capital, the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori-Agyeman Boadi—popularly known as King Zuba—has declared a city-wide crackdown on street traders and stray livestock, promising a “democratic-military style” of enforcement.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the newly confirmed Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) boss announced two controversial policies.
The policies are the public flogging of recalcitrant traders starting April 24, and the butchering of stray cattle, beginning May 1, with the meat to be donated to inmates at the Kumasi Central Prisons.
Public Caning of Traders
According to the Mayor, any trader found selling on restricted pavements or in the middle of roads at the Central Business District (CBD) will be subjected to instant corporal punishment.
King Zuba said he has assembled a team of 10 well-built men armed with rattan canes, who will patrol key commercial areas and enforce the directive without police involvement.
“If anyone is caught trading in the middle of the road, they will be flogged publicly. We won’t waste time involving the police,” he declared. “I’ve adopted my own democratic-military style. When we say leave and you don’t, and my boys are with me—there and then—we will beat you.”
The Mayor expressed frustration over repeated defiance from traders despite numerous warnings.
“This is Otumfuo’s land. This is the Asantehene’s city. We have to preserve its image. Kumasi must reflect the dignity of the Asante Kingdom,” he said.
He urged traders to heed the warnings to avoid public humiliation.
“I won’t destroy your goods or seize them. But if you deserve ten lashes, you’ll get them on the spot. I don’t want it to come to that, but if you push me, you’ll feel it,” he warned.
Slaughtering Stray Cattle
In addition to human offenders, King Zuba turned his attention to four-legged nuisances. Effective May 1, 2025, any stray cattle or livestock roaming within KMA’s jurisdiction will be captured and slaughtered for the Kumasi Central Prisons.
He expressed deep concern about the presence of animals near high-profile areas, particularly the route from the Kumasi International Airport to Manhyia Palace.
“I cannot sit here and allow visitors to be greeted by cow dung from the airport to the palace of Otumfuo. If you’re a cattle owner, take note. From May 1, we’ll arrest stray cattle and donate them as food for prisoners,” the Mayor declared.
He emphasised that the drastic action forms part of his broader agenda to return Kumasi to its past glory as the “Garden City of West Africa.”
‘We Must Restore Order’
King Zuba also criticised the visible disparity in development and order between Kumasi and Accra, referencing well-maintained areas like Cantonments and Ridge.
“When you come back to Kumasi, you get angry. I don’t want to remain in that state of hopelessness. I want a positive change,” he stated.
He urged the media, local residents, and traders to support his campaign to transform the city.
“Kumasi has a beautiful airport. We have potential. But without discipline, we cannot grow. Let’s make Kumasi work again,” he pleaded.
The twin measures—flogging street traders and slaughtering stray livestock—have stirred intense debate, with some praising the Mayor’s resolve and others raising concerns over human rights and enforcement methods.
By I.F. Joe Awuah & David Afum, Kumasi