US embassy cable - 04ACCRA2385

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 002385 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GH, PGOV 
SUBJECT: GHANA'S ELECTION GENERALLY PEACEFUL, FREE AND FAIR 
 
REF: A. A) ACCRA 2366 
 
     B. B) ACCRA 2367 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  Ghana's December 7 presidential and 
parliamentary election was generally peaceful, free and fair, 
as of 4 pm today.  There were isolated incidents of violence 
and some delays caused by shortages of materials and other 
procedural glitches.  We should have final election results 
on December 8.  End summary. 
 
2.  (U)  Ghanaians went to the polls December 7 to elect the 
country's next president/vice president and 230 members of 
parliament.  As of 4 pm December 7, the election appears to 
be generally peaceful, free and fair, with only minor 
procedural glitches and a few isolated incidents of violence. 
 This message draws from media reports and reporting from our 
30 observer teams in the field (including from the Ambassador 
and DCM, who spent much of the day as observers). 
 
Generally Smooth Process 
------------------------ 
 
3.  (SBU)  In most polling stations, voting was smooth, 
orderly, and calm.  In many areas, eager voters lined up 
hours before the polls opened at 7 am.  Turnout appeared to 
be high (an estimated 50-60 percent voted as of around noon). 
 In polling stations we visited, almost all voters were able 
to vote, with very few not appearing on the voter register. 
In these stations, electoral officials and party polling 
agents were satisfied that the process was free and fair. 
Security was visible and appeared adequate.  Our teams saw 
domestic observers at almost all polling stations, as well as 
some observers from other foreign missions. 
 
4.  (U)  A number of polling stations were late in getting 
voting materials or experienced some lapse which caused 
delays in getting started.  Although they raised tensions and 
created initial confusion at some polling stations, almost 
all these glitches were worked out within about an hour.  One 
polling station in Volta region (an NDC opposition stronghold 
area) had not received voting materials as of noon, according 
to press reports.  One Takoradi constituency was missing a 
cover for its presidential ballot box.  As a result, some 
voters reportedly skipped the presidential vote and only cast 
ballots for parliamentary candidates (The missing cover was 
found about two hours after voting started).  According to 
radio reports, voters at one polling station in Kumasi 
(Ashanti Region) cast ballots in plastic bags because the 
ballot boxes never arrived.  One of our observers in Volta 
region noted that no polling booths in her area had tactile 
ballots for the blind.  She saw several blind people voting 
with assistance from relatives. 
 
Mostly Peaceful, but Some Violence 
---------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU)  Voting was peaceful in most of the country.  Media 
reports noted three incidents of significant violence.  In 
the volatile town of Bawku (Upper East region) gunshots 
briefly disrupted voting, although there were reportedly no 
deaths.  It is not clear why shots were fired, although the 
press speculated it might be related to confusion over the 
registration of a parliamentary candidate.  Radio reports 
indicate there was shooting in Tamale (Northern Region), 
although our two observer teams and DAO reps in Tamale have 
not heard this.  (DAO reps said the only incident they 
witnessed was a car chase near a polling station, while our 
observers report all is calm in Tamale.)  In Volta region, 
one radio program reported that a bodyguard of the Regional 
Minister (roughly equivalent to a U.S. Governor) shot and 
killed two people for reasons which are unclear. (Comment: 
post has up to this reporting time been unable to confirm 
this report. End comment.) 
 
6.  (SBU)  Other reported incidents of tension were isolated 
and minor.  According to media reports, there were scuffles 
in several polling stations in Odododiodio constituency 
(Greater Accra) when party activists from the National 
Democratic Congress (NDC) party and the ruling New Patriotic 
Party (NPP) accused each other of switching ballot boxes 
(there were no reported injuries).   Police quickly 
controlled the situation and made several arrests.  In 
Eastern region, fighting broke out in one constituency over 
alleged stuffing of ballot papers, according to radio 
reports.  In both cases, voting appeared to be unaffected. 
Our observer in the southern Volta region reported seeing men 
with clubs at one constituency and noted that the police 
detained a man taking a knife into a polling station. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (SBU)  Overall, while not free of violence, this has been 
an impressive election day so far.  Large numbers of excited 
voters waited in long, hot lines, sometimes up to 4-5 hours, 
to cast their votes.  Electoral Commission officials and 
security personnel were present throughout Accra.  Polling 
agents (most were NDC and NPP) took their jobs very 
seriously.  None of our observers witnessed violence or major 
irregularities.  Some of the radio reports of violence may 
turn out to be unfounded rumors.  We will call AF/W around 
11:30 pm Accra time to provide a more complete report on the 
election process as well as preliminary results.  We expect 
final results on December 8. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YATES