One of the features of military regimes which make them opprobrious and therefore detestable is their arbitrariness and reckless disregard for the rule of law.
Ghana recorded a distasteful entry in her political history last Tuesday in Kumasi when what in previous times passed off peacefully without noise, turned bloody.
For many Ghanaians, the Council of State elections which took place on Tuesday did not attract their attentions until a detachment of hooligans believed to be affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) descended upon the location where the polls for the election of state advisors was held.
In somebody’s estimation, the man who was leading in the counting was a New Patriotic Party (NPP) person and should therefore not take a seat in the Council of wise persons. What bunkum!
Our country is not a failed state and most of our compatriots will not have us proceed on that reprehensible tangent.
Ghana’s democracy by that repugnant action in Kumasi has taken another backward step. It is heart-wrenching when we consider the resources which have gone into the education of citizens about good conduct during such civic exercises over the years.
Even more worrying is the thought that we as a people are not ready for responsible conducts during such civic exercises of making choices.
The educated, with their exceptional ability to analyse situations and take appropriate decisions that best suit the interest of the state, rather fund such uncouth conduct by vulnerable idle land guards.
So-called machomen who should have used their well cultivated biceps for productive ventures on farms and other productive enterprises are on call for the mischievous projects of bloody-minded good-for-nothing persons who have found safe havens in politics.
The machomen who descended upon the voting venue on Tuesday were organised by somebody holding political office with a large purse, to go and disrupt the exercise in a manner which defies understanding.
For how long shall we continue to countenance this misconduct by persons who should know better?
Should the image of our country continue to be dragged in the mud because of the selfish interests of some politicians?
Already battling the pain of the Ablekuma North Constituency chaos, this too has come to aggravate the situation. The message exuded by the Kumasi incident tells us that what lies ahead for the country is portentous if we fold our arms and allow such tomfoolery to fester in our politics.
At a point in time following the bloody incident of the Ayawaso West Wuogon polls of a few years ago, a political gentlemen’s agreement was reached on the need to disband the machomen concept in local politics.
From the occurrence under review and what we witnessed in the December polls, it is palpable that one of the parties continues to maintain its standing gang of thugs.
The Kumasi incident speaks volumes about the need for all well-meaning Ghanaians to speak up against the violent misconduct by both the actors and their sponsors, whose children never partake in the silly conducts.
Our clergymen, Islamic clerics and civil society organisations should stand up to be counted among the ranks of crusaders against political violence and imbecility.
Those who marched against galamsey have another assignment on their plates. Have they not heard about what happened in Kumasi? Are they too busy clamouring for the spoils of the election that they have become oblivious to happenings on the terra firma?
They would be cursed should their silence be attributable to their full mouths. Ghana needs their voices now, and not when they were doing the bidding of someone who sought political power and therefore ready to hold onto to any available means including spurious causes.
To think that in the light of the violent disruptions of the voting process in Kumasi no arrest was made, sends equally disturbing signals about policing in our ambience.
Was there no intelligence pointing at a portentous situation?