Joseph Mackay Kumah,
By Domfeh Emmanuel
The Sene West constituency was one of the most talked about constituencies in Ghana after the 2020 general elections. The controversies that surrounded the constituency’s parliamentary results was fascinating, especially when many didn’t anticipate the closeness of just 16 votes difference between the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party.
The Sene West constituency is located in the Bono East Region of Ghana. It was formed from the Sene constituency which at its inception in 1992 was a constituency in the then Brong-Ahafo Region.
Sene constituency was split into Sene East and Sene West in 2012, and both are considered strongholds for the NDC. The NDC has won the Sene West parliamentary seat consecutively in the past seven elections.
New voting pattern
However, the 2020 election and its aftermath issues have taught us to realize that the electorates in Ghana are gradually moving away from partisan voting to issues-based voting. It wasn’t surprising when both two major political parties in Ghana, the NPP and the NDC, all lost some parliamentary seats to each other.
The NPP was, particularly, hard hit by this new voting behaviour of Ghanaians. They lost about 32 of the overwhelming majority 169 seats of their 2016 elections to the NDC in the year 2020. It is therefore not out-of-place if some people say the NPP won with a taste of defeat. A 137 parliamentary seats for each of the two parties and an independent candidate from Fomena Constituency makes the 8th Parliament an interesting arm of government to follow their proceedings keenly.
NPP in Sene West
Undoubtedly, the Sene West constituency, unlike the much difficult Asewase and Ejura constituencies, was a seat the NPP could have won if they had resourced and paid much attention to. In choosing your battles, you must choose them right. Even at the examination hall, students are advised to answer the less difficult questions first before attempting any other questions.
The New Patriotic Party is appreciating votes in Sene West. The constituency is likely to turn blue in 2024 should the party work harder.
The Mackay Kumah factor
Aside from the hard work of party faithful in the constituency, one cannot talk about the success chalked so far in the constituency without mentioning Mr Joseph Mackay Kumah, who has been the party’s parliamentary candidate since 2012. He is a top-notch personality and a man to reckon with in difficult times.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been increasing his votes since 2012 at a low pace but the parliamentary candidate, Joseph Mackay Kumah’s votes have been increasing at an increasing rate, making the incumbent NDC Member of Parliament becoming unpopular in the constituency.
The NPP’s presidential candidate increased his 2012 votes from 32.2% to 36.5% in 2016, but the parliamentary candidate doubled his steps to move his votes from 34.5% in 2012 to 44.3% in 2016.
Mr Joseph Mackay Kumah’s impeccable style of communication, coupled with his zeal and passion for youth development, has earned him loads of love from far and near, making him a household name in Ghana.
Today, there are some people in Sene East Constituency who think Mackay should have contested in their constituency. However, I believe a good leader is one that does not run away from problems. He faces them and solve it. Mackay, as he is popularly called, should face his battle, continue to fight and win the Sene West seat for the New Patriotic Party in 2024.
For him to be able to canvass as many as 13,100 votes, which represents 49.61% of the valid votes cast, as against the NDC candidate, Kwame Twumasi Ampofo’s 13116 votes, also representing 49.67%, in an NDC strong hold is highly commendable and he deserves a reward.
I admonish the national executives of the elephant party to keep an eye on Sene West and it’s parliamentary candidate for that is one of the constituencies that could help the New Patriotic Party to win 2024 to continue its good works for Ghana.
Breaking the usual eight years tenure starts from now.
