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Politics of Monday, 22 May 2017

Source: starrfmonline.com

Violence in Walewale over DCE confirmation

Armed police had to fire warning shots to control the situation Armed police had to fire warning shots to control the situation

Violence erupted in Walewale in the Northern region Monday as assembly members rejected Saaka Sayuti, the District Chief Executive nominee of West Mamprusi for the third time.

Sayuti’s supporters, mainly youth, went berserk after the votes were declared and held the assembly members hostage for failing to aid him secure two-thirds majority.

At the close of the voting, the nominee had 22 YES against 20 dissenting out of 42 assembly members present sparking the entire uproar.

According to a local journalist Stephen Zoure, the irate youth vandalized louvre blades and plastic chairs in the assembly’s conference hall, where the exercise was taking place and prevented the officials from going out.

Armed police had to fire warning shots to control the situation, Zoure reported. The assembly members were escorted from the scene under heavy security.

Monday’s melee follows a similar occurrence on May 6, where the Presiding Member-elect Musah Damba was subjected to severe beatings for allegedly orchestrating the rejection of a nominee.