GHANA'S ELECTION GENERALLY PEACEFUL, FREE AND FAIR

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