Kadahene, Osabarima Agyare Tenadu II, is urging his fellow chiefs who have made it a habit to throw their support behind political parties, to be mindful of the chieftaincy act that regulates their operations saying, “guard your mouths.”
This, according to him, has a great propensity to divide the very people they are ruling since the community is made up of people of different political persuasions.
Osabarima Tenadu, who made this known during a gathering at Kade to welcome the President who visited the area as part of his Eastern Regional campaign, tour, called on his colleagues to stop such practise.
Clarifying issues to the DAILY HERITAGE after the gathering, the Kadehene said when the chiefs declare their support for politicians, it creates division among their subjects.
“In politics, it is not fair to say a president had done nothing at all during his term of office. That will be unfair. For instance, if he had done nothing for people here, he may have done it elsewhere. It could even be that he may have done something for my people but that may not be what I wanted, so when we talk about governance, it is a very complicated area.
“What we’re saying is that the bible has even said that in politic when you are a chief you need to guard your mouth.”
Our Constitution is clear
According to Osabarima Tenadu, though there are laws governing the country, the constitution made it clear how the chieftaincy institution ought to operate.
“We have laws governing our country and in building the nation we all have our respective duties and the area of duty but a place like the chieftaincy institution, our constitution is clear that if you are a chief, you should not be partisan. We should not declare our support for any candidate.
Accept defeat
While backing a peace call by President John Dramani Mahama at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel recently, he said “what he (President) was saying was that he wants to assure Ghanaians that there will be peace before, during and after the elections. So, whoever wins the polls, we should all accept and whoever loses too should concede defeat.”
“So based on this, I told my people that that call by the president deserves our support. We should embrace this peaceful call by the President and see ourselves as one people, one family and we have one nation. So whoever we interact with, we should make it clear to him that this election peace is what we want.”