"Ghana is not Kenya" is one reaction you would hear
whenever you compare the presidential election petitions currently pending
before the Supreme Courts in both countries. "Why not" is an
immediate reaction to the “Ghana is not Kenya” reaction and I can empathise
with that. Both countries are African countries and seem to have taken the path
of democracy. Both countries have made provision in their respective
constitutions for presidential election petitions to be filed in their
respective Supreme Courts to challenge the election of the president. So why can't
Ghana be like Kenya?
I can also empathise with those who vehemently say, "Ghana
is not Kenya" and indeed, I do empathise with those who react in that
manner but for completely different reasons. I mean how can we even think that
Ghana can be like Kenya. We have to face facts and be honest with ourselves
when comparing the manner in which the Supreme Court in both countries are
dealing with the presidential election petitions before them. In that respect,
Ghana is nowhere near Kenya at all. In fact, Ghana is millions of miles behind
Kenya and we, Ghanaians, ought to be ashamed.
In writing this short piece of article, I have confined myself
to the presidential election petitions before the Supreme Courts in both
countries and the manner in which those petitions are being dealt with. I must
therefore emphasise that this article does not compare the economic success or democratic
success of both countries.
Having set out my intentions clearly, it is my opinion that
Ghana is not Kenya because Ghana is far behind Kenya and also because