The 2024 general elections held on December 7 have been marred by violent incidents, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to others.
The violent clashes, which occurred in the Northern, Central, and Savannah Regions, have raised renewed concerns about the safety and security of Ghana’s electoral process.
The most recent casualty is a 35-year-old man, Mukila Ziblim, who was struck by a stray bullet on December 8 during an attack on the West Gonja Municipal Electoral Commission collation centre in Damongo.
The incident unfolded when youth believed to be affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) stormed the centre, vandalizing electoral materials such as laptops, pink sheets, ballot boxes, and papers. The attackers also set the Commission’s storeroom ablaze, destroying valuable documents.
The Damongo Municipal Electoral Commission office has been set abl@ze by angry residents, over the delayed declaration of results. #ElectionCentral pic.twitter.com/AT9Gp0LGS5
— Original 91.9 FM (@Original919fm) December 8, 2024
In an attempt to disperse the crowd, the police reportedly opened live fire, hitting Mukila Ziblim in the chest. He was rushed to the hospital but died less than an hour later. His body has since been deposited at the hospital morgue.
In the Northern Region, one person was killed, and another injured following a shooting incident at Nyankpala. The clash, which occurred during voting, was reportedly between supporters of the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The Ghana Police Service has arrested four individuals—Majid Issah, Fodi Issiage Kamara, Yakubu Simalia, and Alhaji Bashiru Mohamed—who are assisting with investigations.
In a separate incident in the Awutu Senya East constituency in the Central Region, one NDC supporter was fatally shot, and another critically injured. According to reports, unidentified assailants in a V8 vehicle trailed the victims after they left a vote counting and collation centre and opened fire on their way home. The attack followed a declaration by the NDC Parliamentary Candidate, Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor, that she had won the election.
The police have since arrested four suspects—Awudu Yakubu, Kwabena Essah, Hakeem Bawa, and Issaka Mashual—in connection with the Awutu Senya East incident. An AK-47 rifle with 69 rounds of ammunition was recovered, and the suspects are expected to face court proceedings.
The swift action by the Ghana Police Service has been met with praise, with many calling for the perpetrators to be held accountable. However, the incidents have reignited calls from stakeholders, including the National Peace Council, for stronger measures to prevent electoral violence.
The Peace Council also urged the police to address lingering concerns over justice for the families of the eight individuals killed during electoral violence in the 2020 general elections.
These tragic incidents have once again highlighted the recurring issue of election-related violence in Ghana, underscoring the urgent need for stronger safeguards to ensure peace and security in future elections.
