Dr. Kaus Shuler, the General Manager of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, has commended the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for raising the bar of internal democracy not only in Africa but across the world.
Dr. Shuler led a 15-man delegation of the Africa Democratic Union (DUA) to observe the NPP primaries.
The delegation was invited by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) a German Political Foundation as its contribution to the development
of democracy in Ghana, The delegation is from 10 countries namely: Namibia, South Africa,
Uganda, Senegal, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe
A statement issued by KAS and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the manner in which internal democracy was demonstrated at the
recent primaries to elect parliamentarians for the 2012 election was laudable.
It said the group was over whelmed at the extent of involvement of the state security agencies as well as the Electoral Commission adding “it showed the trust and confidence in which the people have in the state institutions”
It further stated that “this also shows that the EC and the police are non-partisan” and noted that although the group were not in the country to observe the various campaigning and canvassing process days leading to the elections day what they observed at some polling stations visited, they were convinced that, candidates and delegates
are matured politicians who are prepared to sacrifice their personal interest and future for the global party interest.
The team congratulated the leadership of the party for the will to build a strong political party where the interest of the party overrides sectional interest.
“It is common knowledge around the world that candidates and party executives organize primaries to suit a particular candidate or
group.”
The group therefore challenged political parties in Africa to demonstrate internal democratic tenets before demanding accountability
from their governments and the state adding that “It is only when your home is clean that you have moral courage and fortitude to complain
about unclean environment.”
According to the statement, the African observers took copious notes of interviews they conducted with party executives to document
best practices for presentation and possible implementation in their home country.
Speaking to the GNA, Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah, Senior Programme Manager of KAS, said the rational for inviting International Observers
to observe the nationwide parliamentary primaries was to contribute to deepening internal democratic tenets of political parties in Ghana.
He said Ghana has written its name in the annals of democracy in the world and was therefore important that the building blocks of
democracy follow the same direction and gave the assurance that any political party or institution that would undertake innovative democratic deepening activities would be supported by the Foundation with the needed international exposure.