Col Festus Aboagye: Beyond symbolic gestures: Reimagining Ghana’s electoral peace pact in a fractured democracy
Published:
6 months ago
Source:
3News

Colonel Festus Aboagye
"Peace is not an absence of war; it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."-Baruch Spinoza, Dutch philosopher.
Executive Summary
Ghana's electoral "Peace Pact," introduced in 1996 and formalised in 2012, aims to prevent violence and ensure credible elections. Despite its noble intentions, this policy brief critically examines the Pact's effectiveness and limitations in Ghana's evolving democratic landscape. Key findings:
The Peace Pact lacks legal enforceability, operating as a moral commitment rather than a binding agreement
While contributing to some political stability, the Pact has not eliminated electoral violence, with significant incidents occurring in recent elections
Underlying socio-economic issues, deep-rooted political divisions, and weak implementation mechanisms undermine the Pact's effectiveness
This brief proposes comprehensive measures to either strengthen the Peace Pact or create conditions that render it unnecessary:
Strengthening electoral institutions and enforcement mechanisms
Implementing legal reforms to address electoral malpractices
Enhancing civic education and community engagement
Developing robust conflict resolution mechanisms
Addressing underlying socio-economic grievances
The analysis concludes that while the Peace Pact has played a role in promoting peaceful elections, Ghana must move beyond symbolic gestures to create substantive, systemic changes that foster a truly tranquil and democratic electoral process. Despite the peace pact, the recurring violence in recent elections underscores the critical need for immediate action. Failure to address the pact's shortcomings risks further erosion of public trust in the electoral process, potentially destabilising Ghana's democracy.
#ElectoralPeacePact #DemocraticIntegrity #PoliticalViolencePrevention #InstitutionalReform #CivicEngagement
Introduction: The Illusion of Peace in Ghana's Electoral Arena
In the theatre of Ghana's democracy, the electoral "Peace Pact" stands as a grand gesture-a promise of civility amidst the tumult of political competition.