Power Hunger

People are getting ready for the elections this Sunday, 7 December 2008. At 4am someone blew a horn for a good 20 minutes while walking up and down the street. Then at 6am someone within our building turned their stereo up to share their gospel music with the world at full volume. It’s Saturday. On Wednesday I was in Accra and what should have been a maximum of an hour long minibus ride took three hours due to a huge political rally. For weeks now large chartered buses have been cruising the city, packed with people dressed in their party’s colors, leaning out widows, shouting, cheering, waving, blowing horns. This is the third democratic election since Rawlings, the military president, left power in 2001. Rawlings took power in 1982 and his military rule lasted until 1991. That year a new constitution was approved, multi-party elections were held and Rawlings was elected President. He held the presidency for two consecutive terms then in 2000, John Atta Mills (Rawlings’ Vice President) ran against John Kufuor. John Kufour won the elections and his rise to presidency marked the first peaceful transfer of power. In 2004 President Kufour won the re-election but now at the completion of his second term he must step down. Kufour’s party, the NPP has nominated Nana Akufo-Adda while, for the third consecutive election, NDC has nominated John Atta Mills. Ghanaians who remember the Rawlings era as the too recent past - with its human rights abuses, the disappearances, the stripping and beating of women in the streets - say never again. But, Atta Mills has been building up his constituency among the youth whose memories do not include such difficult times who argue that he became involved with Rawlings after the infamous era of human rights abuses so he should not be blamed for those incidents. Everyone is concerned about peace.

I am not worried about violence in this area. I feel no hostile energy in the city, in fact pleas for peace are ubiquitous. Coverage of the recent US elections were followed by local commentary on take home lessons for Ghana and the peaceful transfer of power. Last Sunday mass concluded with a prayer for peaceful elections and the church bulletin included a two page write up on the purpose of democratic elections. Most people I have spoken with say Ghanaians have experienced too much to resort to violence. I am not worried, but my thoughts do occasionally revisit a scene from a video presentation at a local museum. In the opening scene the camera panned a large crowd of men surrounding the Ashanti king all chanting and hoisting guns over their heads, while in a monotone voice the narrator said, “The Ashanti are a peace-loving people. They are always ready to defend themselves” . . . an interesting twist of logic.

Malawi will also hold elections next year. Since their dictator or “President for life” Kamuzu Banda, who ruled for 30 years, they have had three elections. Muluzi ruled for ten years (two terms) enriching himself greatly while infrastructure deteriorated and the people starved. Then in 2004 president Bingu waMutarika was elected. President Bingu lacks Muluzi’s charisma but many praise his efforts to cut down on corruption the physical development of Lilongwe has been significant over the past 4 years. President Bingu will run again but Muluzi is trying to elbow his way back into power (despite the fact that the Constitution limits any individual to two terms). Another likely contender is John Tembo, Banda‘s former Vice President. It seems in many countries African politicians never step down they just reinvent themselves. I have heard many Africans from different countries complain that political stagnation at the top is one of the greatest factors negatively affecting development. Clement says simply, “It is time to put this power hunger to rest.”