NDC turns seventeen

The ruling National Democratic Congress will be seventeen toady.

As they celebrate this happy occasion, congratulations are in order. It is a good time to look at the state of our democracy and the NDC's contribution to it. Parties exist to contest for power and to govern and to that extent, the NDC has been successful. They have won three of the five elections conducted since we returned to democracy in 1992. While as an NPP member, I do not wish them electoral success, I certainly wish them well.

In the 2008 Afro barometer report on Ghana's politics, 55% of Ghanaians considered Ghana to be a full-fledged democracy. However, 28% of Ghanaians felt that Ghana had some issues to resolve before it can be classed as a full democracy. On censorship, 33% felt that they had to be careful about what they say in public about politics. On attachment to political parties, 61% of Ghanaians felt closely attached to political parties. This is down from 67% in 1999 and 67% in 2005. This means that Ghanaians are getting less attached to our political parties.

Why are Ghanaians getting less attached to our political parties?

As to how much the NDC has contributed to building our democracy, opinions are divided. Some give them credit for having a founder, who, even if reluctantly, returned us to democracy.

While many consider the existence of strong and credible institutions as a cardinal tenet of our democracy, the NDC, at least during the elections, did not appear to be supportive of our institutions. From our Electoral Commission to our security forces, the NDC worked to undermine their credibility. In its final report, the European Union Election Observer Mission to Ghana said: “As part of its tendency to accuse public institutions of overt bias, the NDC constantly criticized the Electoral Commission for lack of impartiality without any substantial grounds for many of its allegations.” Those are strong words to describe the conduct of the party that is now in government. Of course, one may add the NDC's incitement of violence throughout the campaign period. However, going back to the decreasing attachment of Ghanaians to political parties, the largest damage to political parties done by the NDC last year, was the reckless promises they made to get votes. Just one example will suffice. After promising to “drastically reduce the price of fuel”, those prices have in fact gone up drastically. Surprisingly, instead of honestly apologizing to Ghanaians, they have put out their spin-doctors, to convince Ghanaians that what they heard during the campaign was not what they heard.

To understand the NDC, one must recall the origins of the party. The NDC was a party formed to legitimize a dictatorship. According to article 6 of the party, it was formed on the principles of its founder, former President Rawlings. That is why they happily celebrate the June 4th uprising despite its anti-democratic tendencies and human rights abuses. One can never be a genuine democrat and still be committed to the gross human rights abuses and needless loss of human lives that occurred under June 4th. Indeed, quite a few of the key figures of June 4th have been on the receiving end of the brand of justice that it preached, including Major Boakye Gyan whose brother was executed, W/O Sarkodie who was executed and many others.

As for the fiction that AFRC restored democracy, the least said about it the better. The students and other civilians of Ghana, led by NUGS, the Professional Bodies and others had already compelled the Acheampong/Akuffo dictatorship to relinquish power and an election campaign was under way when the AFRC struck. They did not start our liberation; they only jumped to the front of a full-fledged democratic brass band. As for it being a coup to end all coups, the leader of June 4th, Ft. Lt. Rawlings, who signed the 1979 constitution broke that pledge by staging the 31st December coup. That is why the NDC, to be a truly democratic party, must stop celebrating June 4th. The accountability problems that partly necessitated June 4th are still very much with us. Indeed, if someone else rose up to re-apply the lessons of June 4th, not even the Chairman of the AFRC would survive the standards he used in judging others!

There was nothing democratic about it and the continued association with it by the NDC only diminishes the party.

That is why, wisely, even while most of the Danquah-Busia tradition believe the 1966 coup supported even by Nkrumah allies like Komla Gbedemah was a necessary evil, we do not celebrate it.

While the lessons herein are related to the NDC, all political parties must learn from them.

The NDC and indeed all political parties must respect and work to build public institutions while respecting the rule of law. Today, we have the National Security Co-ordinator announcing imminent indictments when he has no mandate to do so. Some have openly called on the government to “crack the damn whip.” In a democracy, that whip should be in the hands legal professionals who have no axe to grind, not partisan politicians trying to settle scores. Of course, talking about political prosecutions and interrogating people without their lawyers, the NPP too did a few of that. That too was wrong.

The question of violence in our politics is one that we must tackle seriously. In the last election, our nation got to the brink of civil war because of election related threats and violence. Indeed, since the inauguration of the NDC government, more of that has happened. They have needlessly aggravated the Dagbon and Bawku crises. All political parties, particularly the NDC, must work to make Ghana peaceful and safe for our democracy. Threats and intimidation of political opponents will only heighten tension and eventually lead to violence. The NDC's forebears may have believed in the “democratization of violence” but the time for that has passed. We need, together, to build a nation where issues are decided in favour of those who have the force of argument on their side rather than those who have the argument of force on their side.

Next, we must have candour in our politics. There was a time when the founder of the NDC was celebrated for his candour. Those days are long gone. Today, the chickens are coming home to roost for the NDC on the lies that were told to win power. As politicians keep telling lies to win power while failing to deliver, the people will lose confidence in our political system.

Finally, the NDC and indeed all other parties must improve internal democracy in our ranks. Parties that have undemocratic primaries cannot be the vanguard of our democracy. Parties must listen to their members and reflect their will, in policies and in the selection of candidates.

May the NDC increasingly grow less violent, more democratic and more respectful of our institutions.

May God guide them and all of us.
Let us all move forward, together, to a more peaceful and democratic Ghana.

Credit: Arthur Kobina Kennedy
[Email: [email protected] ]