Election 2020: Court injuncts ‘No Mahama, No Peace’ demo in Buipe

A court in Bole in the Savannah Region has ordered leadership and supporters of the main opposition NDC to halt a planned demonstration in the Central Gonja District town of Buipe.

The protest which is scheduled for Monday, December 21 was to protest against the results of the 2020 polls as declared by Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC).

But the court order secured by the Ghana Police Service in the Savannah Region asked the party to reschedule the event.

The Buipe Traditional Council has also been reacting to Monday’s protest which falls on a market day.

The Council has since ordered a suspension of all political activities across the Buipe township after its attention was drawn to another ‘peace walk’ expected to be held by the Gonjaland Youth For Peace and Development on the same day.

Secretary of the Buipe Traditional Council Neripewura A Kipson in a statement said such activities could destabilize the peace in the area especially on a market day.

“Mondays are busy days in Buipe and for that matter we will not allow any peace walk or demonstration in Buipe”, a statement issued by the Buipe Traditional Council read.

The statement continued: “The two bodies can choose different days except for Monday. The chief of Buipe will do anything to stop anyone who will like to temper with the already existing peace in Buipe”.

Growing post-election tensions in Ghana

Various branches of the NDC nationwide have engaged in demonstrations in protest of the Electoral Commission’s handling of the electoral process that saw Nana Akufo-Addo declared President.

Protests have taken place in Accra, Zabzugu, Techiman South, Tamale, Kumasi, Ketu South, among others.

The Ghana Police Service has however warned the public against unlawful gatherings and demonstrations following the declaration of the results.

According to the police, such gatherings without prior notification amount to a breach of the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491).

This can lead to various penalties “including imprisonment,” police have warned.

Police arrested 30 persons for demonstrating at the headquarters of the EC in Accra.