Muslims Can't Be President - Fifi Kwetey

Deputy Finance Minister, Fifi Kwetey

The then National Propaganda Secretary of the National Democratic Congress and now Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Fifi Kwetey, has stated in no uncertain terms that a Muslim can never become the President of the Republic of Ghana, according to a US embassy cable.

Fifi Kwetey made this known in an interaction with officials of the US embassy, in his capacity as propaganda secretary and advisor to former President Rawlings, on the 5th of October 2007, when the former was contacted for his views in the run up to the December 2007 congress of the New Patriotic Party as well as the 2008 elections.

When asked about the chances of victory of Vice President Aliu Mahama in the NPP congress, Fifi Kwetey in his usual self refused to comment on the strengths of the then Vice president but rather chose to focus on his religion as a Muslim.

'Concerning Vice President [Aliu] Mahama's Muslim faith, religion is an important factor in Ghanaian politics and many Christian Ghanaians would never vote for a Muslim presidential candidate.'

He went on further to say that whilst other will not openly say so, he was bold enough to state that a Muslim can never be President.

'While most Ghanaians would not admit this openly, a Muslim could not be elected President of Ghana,' Fifi Kwetey said.

The advisor to former President Rawlings and then national propaganda secretary also stated that the NDC would exploit the non-election of Alhaji Aliu Mahama for propaganda purposes in the northern region and as well as in the Muslim community.

'Some Ghanaians, particularly Northerners and Muslims, will feel that Vice President Mahama deserves the nomination and is being treated disrespectfully by his party after serving loyally as Kufuor's deputy. The NDC would exploit these negative sentiments to generate support for our candidate,' Fifi Kwetey said.

Fifi Kwetey, in that same meeting, further went on to confirm the largely held view that the NDC usurping the role of the Convention People's Party with the sole aim of obliterating it as a political party in Ghana. 'The NDC has largely taken over the CPP's role as Ghana's “Nkrumaist” political party, and that there has been weak support for the CPP in recent elections,' he added.

He also went to label Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom a 'traitor' because he served as a minister in Kufuor's government and dismissed his chances of securing the CPP's flagbearership slot.

Source: The New Statesman