Circumspecte

This article was originally published on the London School of Economics Africa Blog . -- Ghanaian blogger Jemila Abdulai   looks back on a landmark election not just for Ghana, but the whole of Africa. When it comes to African elections, one can always be certain of a healthy dose of unpredictability. From delays in delivering voting equipment to unexpectedly large voter turnouts, any African election fits the bill for a full-length movie, complete with the required suspense. Less evident though is the work behind-the-scenes; those moments of growth which leave such an impression on a country that they ultimately redefine what it means to be an African democracy. Nowhere is this more evident than during Ghana’s 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections. A woman votes in Ghana’s recent elections Photo: Reuters The one-day event, which extended into a second day, went beyond most people’s expectations and had both Ghanaians and the international community rivete...

Originally posted on the London School of Economics Africa Blog -- As Ghanaians head to the polls on 7 December, education has been the principal election issue debated on by rival politicians, but, as Ghanaian blogger Jemila Abdulai points out, a free education does not necessarily equate to a quality education. Jemila Abdulai blogs at  Circumspect . Oil – the word that caused quite a stir in the lead up to Ghana’s 2008 elections. Political parties tried to outdo one another with their grandiose promises on how they would ensure the “equitable” distribution of oil revenues, while politicians launched an entirely different contest – in how many corruption allegations they could level against opponents. But that’s old news. It is 2012 and we have a new election issue over which to crack our brains. Ladies and gentlemen, meet “free education”. Free senior high school (SHS) education made its first appearance onto Ghana’s 2012 election landscape with the launch of the Nati...

Initially published on the London School of Economics (LSE) Africa Blog . -- Jarreth Merz’ film  An African Election  covers the highs and lows of Ghana’s crucial 2008 presidential election, giving important insights into the electoral processes which helped safeguard the very stability of this West African nation. With many African presidential elections on the horizon for 2012, the film is a reminder of what is really at stake when it comes to democracy across the continent. Through Merz’ camera lens, Ghana’s political sphere in 2008 unravels. That year, both the National Democratic Congress   (NDC) and the then-ruling  National Patriotic Party  (NPP) – Ghana’s two main political parties – had eight years of governance under their belt since multiparty elections found its roots in Ghana in 1992. Then, as now, each party had its distinctive colours and symbol. An elephant with the colours red, white and blue for the NPP ...