Former Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom, Dr. Adomako Kissi, is advocating for a new law that would allow political parties to retain parliamentary seats for the entire four-year term when a vacancy arises—eliminating the need for by-elections.
Dr. Kissi argued that the current by-election system often fuels political tensions, violence, and security risks, and should be reconsidered.
“I support the idea where the seat is left for the party for the four years, so that these hotly contested events—based on the current behaviour of Ghanaians—will be stopped,” he said.
Citing past incidents, including violence and the near-fatal injury of a former Minister of State during a by-election in Ablekuma North, Dr. Kissi emphasized that his proposal is not about taking power away from voters but about protecting lives and maintaining national peace.
He further explained that if a Member of Parliament dies or is otherwise unable to continue in office, the political party that originally won the seat should be allowed to nominate a replacement without triggering a by-election, thereby preserving the mandate until the next general election.
“If we want fewer incidents at by-elections, then there should be no by-election. A bill should be passed so that once a party wins the seat, any replacement due to unforeseen circumstances is filled by that party for the remainder of the term,” Dr. Kissi stated.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced that it will not contest the upcoming Tamale Central by-election, following the death of the constituency’s MP, Alhaji Dr. Murtala Muhammed, in a helicopter crash on August 6.
