Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) member Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen has revealed that the limited timeframe before the 2024 general election influenced his decision to contest the presidential race as an independent candidate. In an interview with Joy Prime's Nathaniel Attoh, Mr Kyerematen explained that with preparations for the elections already underway, establishing a fully-fledged political party was impractical. He therefore created the Movement for Change as his political vehicle for the independent presidential bid.
Mr Kyerematen announced his resignation from the NPP in September 2023 and subsequently declared his intention to contest the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate under the Movement for Change. At the time, he unveiled the monarch butterfly, known in Akan as Afrafranto, as the movement's symbol and adopted the slogan "Ghana Will Rise Again". The Movement for Change aimed to challenge Ghana's established two-party political system and promote an alternative centred on political and economic transformation.
According to Mr Kyerematen, Ghana's political system provided two practical routes for his presidential ambition at the time: contesting as the candidate of a political party or running independently while leading a political organisation. The Movement for Change offered a way to pursue his campaign without having to complete the lengthy process of establishing a conventional political party before the election. He said, "I was preaching change, and if I couldn't form a party and I had a political organisation, there was no better brand that I could give to it as the Movement for Change."
Mr Kyerematen's decision to contest independently also required him to directly test his support among voters, rather than rely on the established structures of Ghana's two dominant political parties. He argued that established parties such as the NPP and National Democratic Congress (NDC) have longstanding support bases that give them a guaranteed level of electoral backing, whereas an independent candidate has to actively convince voters to embrace a new political alternative.
To gauge his support, Mr Kyerematen took his campaign directly to communities, particularly in Accra and Kumasi, to assess the response to his candidacy. He described the reception during those engagements as "phenomenal", saying the level of energy generated by the campaign over approximately six months was significant. Electoral Commission records confirm that he was listed on the presidential ballot as Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen.
Reflecting on the campaign, Mr Kyerematen said that the two dominant parties are lucky because Ghanaians have no option, so whether they campaign or not, at least, they will get their core votes. However, for a new individual or an independent candidate, the only way is to go out on the street and test whether the people will hoot at you or they will hail you.
Mr Kyerematen's decision to contest the December 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate has significant implications for Ghana's political landscape. His campaign has brought attention to the challenges faced by independent candidates in Ghana's two-party system. As the country moves forward, it remains to be seen how Mr Kyerematen's Movement for Change will shape the future of Ghanaian politics.
Key points
- Limited time before 2024 election led Alan Kyerematen to contest as independent candidate
- Movement for Change aimed to challenge Ghana's two-party political system
- Kyerematen's campaign generated significant energy and support among voters
