Kasoa is a household name in Ghana which dominates the media landscape over criminal activities.
Like the Biblical Sodom and Gomorra, the Awutu Senya East in the Central Region, like its capital Kasoa, is fast earning the notorious title of Ghana’s sin city, which caters to various vices.
These vices are not limited to the capital, as the constituency is constantly awash with violent crimes regularly.
Among the many vices is the political violence that has marked almost every political and electoral process in the constituency during its 12 years of existence.
Recent incidents tell another story for a relatively young constituency that showed promising peace and calm in its early years.
Originally part of the larger Awutu Senya Constituency, it is one of the 23 constituencies in the Central Region of Ghana with a population of about 250,000 people of various backgrounds.
Electoral History
Since 2012, the constituency has seen three presidential and parliamentary elections.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) won both presidential and parliamentary races in all three elections.
In 2012, the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya East Constituency, Mavis Hawa Koomson, won the parliamentary seat with 52% of the votes, compared to her closest contender, Adams Nuhu of the NDC, who had 45%.
Madam Koomson again claimed victory in the following election, securing 58.10%, while Adam Nuhu secured 40.86%.
On her third attempt in 2020, Hawa Koomson carried the day with 52.55%, while the NDC’s Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor polled 47.45%.
In the presidential race, the NPP, represented by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, secured 51.44%, 56.93% and 52.26% in 2012, 2016 and 2020, respectively.
On the other hand, the NDC represented by John Dramani Mahama secured 47.6%, 42.3% and 46.68%.
Therefore, it is safe to say that the constituency is an NPP stronghold. This also shows the NDC’s stiff competition with the NPP over the years.
This tough and unending battle for control over the Awutu Senya East Constituency keeps stirring trouble at the least provocation, particularly over the past four years.
With a few months to the general elections, the battle for supremacy has escalated, causing political clashes and tension between the parliamentary candidates of the two major political parties.
With a third-time MP on one hand and a resilient legal practitioner who has sworn to yank the seat from her on the other, the constituency is one of the hottest to watch in the upcoming general election on December 7, 2024.
As all eyes are fixed on this political battle between two women, The Ghana Report examines some incidents that have earned Awutu Senya East a bad name.
- Hawa Koomson’s Son Stabbed During Voter Registration Clash
On June 2, 2024, Ato Koomsom, son of Awutu Senya East MP Hawa Koomson, was reportedly stabbed following a confrontation near the Electoral Commission’s office in Kasoa.
The altercation began when the NPP and NDC supporters clashed over the order of residents in the queue for the voter ID card transfer and replacement exercise.
Mr. Koomson reportedly attempted to help calm the situation but got stabbed in the chest during the heated situation.
Another NPP supporter also sustained a minor injury while trying to intervene.
- 3 Gun-Wielding ‘Thugs’ Arrested At Kasoa EC Office
On the same June 2, the Ghana Police Service arrested three persons, including the NDC parliamentary candidate, Naa Koryoo, around the Electoral Commission (EC) Office at Ofaakor for possession of a firearm without lawful authority.
The police retrieved one pump-action gun with four rounds of ammunition from their vehicle.
However, she later denied claims of her arrest.
She explained that she was only invited by the police because her driver and security guard were arrested.
Naa Koryoo also revealed that she carried the weapon for self-protection against the incumbent MP, citing multiple instances during the 2020 elections where Hawa Koomson allegedly threatened her.
She added Hawa Koomson pulled a gun on her on four different occasions. Since law enforcement agencies failed to address the situation, she found the need to take matters into her own hands regarding her security.
- Armed Men Open Fire At Polling Station
During the general elections on December 7, 2020, at least two people were confirmed injured in a shootout at one of the polling stations in the Awutu Senya East Constituency.
The incident occurred when unknown gunmen allegedly opened fire on a KIA Soul saloon car.
According to the driver of the vehicle, they were agents of the opposition National Democratic Congress who were visiting the centre to observe the process.
- Hawa Koomson Admits Using Weapon At Registration Center
The MP for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, fired warning shots at the Steps to Christ polling station during the voter registration exercise in June 2020.
The then Special Development Initiatives Minister claimed it was in self-defence.
She claimed her opponent, Philis Naa Koryoo Okunor, had bused some people into the constituency to register at the particular registration centre.
She said she witnessed intimidating scenes at the polling station that forced her to fire the shots.
“I realized that my people’s lives were in danger. I wanted to scare them,” she said.
About 15 of her men also tried to sack some applicants suspected to have come from outside the region.
This led to complete chaos at the scene, forcing Electoral Commission (EC) officials to flee.
No arrests were made after the violent incident.
- Four NDC Agents Arrested at Awutu Senya East
In July of the same year, four party agents reportedly belonging to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Awutu Senya East constituency were arrested.
The four were arrested for duplicating accreditation cards belonging to the EC.
They were arrested at various registration centres in the constituency during the registration exercise.
- Gunshots fired as NDC, NPP supporters clash at polling station
Several gunshots were fired after supporters of NDC and NPP clashed at a polling station during the 2023 District Level Elections at Kasoa.
This was reportedly after the NDC requested a recount of the ballots in the Kasoa Kpomotey and Kasoa Old Times electoral areas.
NDC claimed the ICGC polling station was supposed to have four ballot boxes for Assembly members and four for Unit Committee aspirants.
However, after the elections, the ballot boxes for Assembly members became five instead of four.
After counting and results were declared in favour of the candidate allegedly affiliated with the NPP, the NDC supporters called for a recount.
This led to the clash. Some persons started shooting sporadically while others sprayed pepper spray into the crowd.
- Hawa Koomson Allegedly Assaults Journalist
During the NPP’s parliamentary aspirant vetting in the constituency in January 2024, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development was alleged to have masterminded an assault on David Kobbina, a journalist with Cape FM.
Upon reports to law enforcement agencies, no arrests were made.
This triggered the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to declare a media blackout against Madam Koomson.
Meanwhile, the Awutu Senya East MP vehemently denied all accusations against her and her associates.
- One Person Arrested For Taking Photo Of Ballot Paper At Kasoa
The police arrested one person for taking shots of his ballot paper after voting at Kasoa in Awutu Senya East Constituency of the Central Region in 2023.
The delegate, who participated in the NPP presidential primary to elect a flagbearer, was caught taking shots of the ballot paper and was handcuffed and detained.
However, the MP for the area, Mavis Hawa Koomson, intervened and he was released after some hours of detention.
The MP, however, prevented the media from taking pictures of the suspect and also prevented the police from disclosing the candidate the culprit voted for.