A Deputy Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamel Deen Abdulai has suggested an amendment to the political parties act to address vigilantism.
He told Citi News the amendment would enable the Electoral Commission to disqualify any political party that fails to disband its vigilante groups.
Section three of the ACT says: “A political party may, subject to the Constitution and this Act, participate in shaping the political will of the people, disseminate information on political ideas, social and economic programmes of a national character, and sponsor candidates for public elections other than elections to District Assemblies or lower local government units.”
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Mr. Abdulai said the detachment from vigilante groups must now also be required to contest in elections.
“It was my position that why not just amend that particular portion of the law to include that a political party must not be manifestly seen to be mobilising militia or vigilantes for the operation of the same.”
“When that political party does that and there is evidence of abuse then the Electoral Commission has the right not to allow a political party not to contest in a general election,” he added.
With political violence firmly under the microscope, President Nana Akufo-Addo, during the 2019 State of the Nation Address in Parliament, said he had instructed the leadership of the NPP to extend an invitation to the opposition NDC to discuss how to disband their respective vigilante groups.
But the two parties are currently at a deadlock with the NDC saying it would prefer a third party to mediate any meeting.
President Akufo-Addo said he was dismayed by the conditions the NDC had set for a meeting to end political violence and vigilantism.
Source: citinewsroom.com
