Examining the Effects of Electoral Violence of Walantu Community of Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Municipality

Abstract

From the late 1980’s, countries on the African continent saw competitive multi-party democracy after several decades of military rule. Within this political process, elections were embraced as a core feature of modern governance and adopted as a medium of democratic practices. However, over the years, a number of countries including the developed peripheries have experiences of electoral violence. Despite its successful transfer of power, Ghana, a beacon of democracy is not exempted from this surging phenomenon despite. This study examined the effects of electoral violence in the Walantu Community of Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Municipality in 2016 and 2020 election years. The study adopts a mixed approach with a sample size of 110, through a simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The study observed that electoral violence is caused by physical, psychological and structural variables. Furthermore, the study found that intimidations, insults, threats, verbal exchanges, burning of motorbikes were the main types of electoral violence in the Walantu Community, and this threatens individual’s participation and the country’s consolidation of democratic activities at large. The study makes a clarion call by recommending state’s economy be broadened through tax incentives or rebates to young entrepreneurs to serve as motivation to vigorously pursue job creation. Again, the study recommends that the government through partnerships with the private sector liaises with the ministry in charge of youth affairs through the National Youth Authority to provide skills development and vocational trainings, and entrepreneurial promotions to boost creation of jobs for the teeming youth. Again, the study recognized the role stakeholders play to curb electoral violence. Based on that, the study makes a clarion call by drawing the attention of all election stakeholders, including the National Peace Council to be strengthened to liaise with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), and other state institutions to re- educate the public especially the party foot soldiers on peace campaigns.