Make or Break: Analysis of the 2008 Ghana Elections

The document details a seminar featuring Dr. David Zounmenou and Mr. Sandile Zeka, who analyzed the 2008 Ghana elections. Dr. Zounmenou argued that Ghana's peaceful process was due to strong institutional mechanisms, such as a respected code of ethics and a credible Electoral Commission, contrasting this with violence in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Mr. Zeka applied 'mental model' theory to argue that shared internal images of injustice from military rule and common social needs drove Ghana's democratic stability and voting patterns. Both speakers emphasized the need for independent electoral commissions and voter education to prevent electoral violence in Africa.

• Ghana successfully managed a contentious electoral process in 2008 through several key institutional mechanisms, including a respected code of ethics, intensive voter education, a relatively efficient judiciary, the credibility of the Electoral Commission (EC), and televised presidential debates.
• Dr. Zounmenou distinguishes between two types of electoral violence: 'spontaneous violence,' which results from technical or logistical glitches during voting, and 'instrumental violence,' which is planned and organized to influence the election outcome.
• Mr. Zeka argues that individual and organizational 'mental models'—deeply held internal images of how the world works—are the primary drivers of governance and electoral processes, rather than just power dynamics or organizational relationships.
• The 2008 Ghanaian voting patterns were driven by critical issues such as health services, food security, and employment rather than ethnicity or geography, with the electorate demonstrating maturity by splitting votes between different parties for presidential and parliamentary candidates.
• While Kenya and Zimbabwe are cited as references for rigged elections and subsequent consequences, Kenya is also noted as a positive example for its swift response to post-election violence through the establishment of two commissions of inquiry.

APA

Matshanda, N. (2008). Make or Break: Analysis of the 2008 Ghana Elections. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/12DECGHANAIANELECTIONS08_.PDF

Chicago

Matshanda, Namhla. Make or Break: Analysis of the 2008 Ghana Elections. Institute for Security Studies, 2008. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/12DECGHANAIANELECTIONS08_.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Matshanda |first1=Namhla |title=Make or Break: Analysis of the 2008 Ghana Elections |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=15 December 2008 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/12DECGHANAIANELECTIONS08_.PDF |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{matshanda2008make, author = {Matshanda, Namhla}, title = {{Make or Break: Analysis of the 2008 Ghana Elections}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2008}, month = dec, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/12DECGHANAIANELECTIONS08_.PDF}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }