Kweku, Koku, chiefs and partisanship

You want to be seated for this one.

Last week, ace journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako questioned the judgment of traditional rulers who are endorsing President Mahama. Yesterday, under pressure from those carrying water for traditional rulers, he caved and apologised. I was disappointed.

While it is true that on rare ocassions, Kweku Baako ' s defense of the indefensible embarasses even his admirers like myself, he was on solid grounds on the chieftaincy issue. The issue is not even one of judgment, it is one of constitutionality and our stability. The constitution clearly prohibits traditional rulers from partisan politics and endorsing a Presidential candidate is partisan. Where will this end? Will there be a date when the Asantehene, Yabon-Wura or Ga Mantse might endorse a candidate? Would there be a day when we might see an independent ticket of the Asantehene with a Ya Na or Ga Mantse for president? It seems that since independence, we have struggled with the role of our chiefs in our politics. Nkrumah came close to a constitutional crisis when he detained the chief linguist of the Asantehene as part of the group, later immortalized by re:Akoto. Since then all governments and politicians have angled for the support of traditional rulers. If we don't want them to do partisan politics, why court them endlessly?

The other side of the coin is whether it is contrary to the rules of natural justice to bar a class of Ghanaians from politics. While there is precedent from around the world, it is hard to justify why a well-educated Omanhene cannot represent his traditional area in parliament. Furthermore, if traditional rulers are banned, why not priests? Certainly, there are leaders of traditional faiths like Catholic, Methodist and Pentecostal faiths and mega - churches who are more influential than many traditional rulers.

Koku Anyidoho went on an unfortunate tirade against Kweku Baako that was unjustified. Too often, these days, Koku allows his admirable passion to warp his good judgment. He knows it is unconstitutional for chiefs to endorse a party candidate for President. The excuse that others did that in the past lacks merit. We never accept stealing now because others stole in the past. Also, Koku appears to have confused journalists with traditional rulers. While we all wish were more professional, Journalists are not barred by the constitution or any laws from partisan politics; chiefs are.

Let our traditional rulers be care lest they undermine the stability of our democracy.

Traditional rulers who wander into partisan politics will take partisan fire and they will deserve it.

In addition they must face sanctions for breaching our constitution from the National House of chiefs or the law.

Their dabbling in partisan politics undercuts their ability to play the reconcilatory roles exemplified so well by the Asantehene before the 2012 elections and in the Dagbon crisis.

Kweku was right and Koku was wrong.

God bless them, you all and Ghana.

Arthur K