Kufour becomes Ghana's new president
Kufour becomes Ghana's new president
ACCRA (AFP): Ghana's longtime ruler Jerry Rawlings on Sunday handed over to his elected successor John Kufour in the country's first peaceful democratic transfer of power since independence in 1957.
Kufour, draped in traditional Kente cloth, was sworn in outside Parliament House in Accra as Rawlings, wearing a white smock and his trademark sunglasses, looked on.
The tall, diffident Kufuor, a 63-year-old lawyer and onetime government minister dubbed the "gentle giant", pledged "to be faithful and true to the Republic of Ghana" and to uphold the constitution.
"I dedicate myself to the service and wellbeing of the people of Ghana ... and to do right to all manner of persons," Kufuor said in the ceremony outside Parliament House in Accra.
Vice President Aliju Mahama, a Muslim, offered his oath of office in the name of Allah.
The event, in a forecourt festooned with the national colors of red, gold and green, was witnessed by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, his counterparts from Senegal, Burkina Faso and Togo and South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
Obasanjo's predecessor Abdulsalami Abubakar, Nigeria's last military leader who paved the way for the return of democracy in their country in 1999, also attended.
Kufuor, backed by the longtime opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), defeated Rawlings' designated successor John Atta Mills, the incumbent vice president, in elections last month.
Rawlings, wearing a white smock symbolizing peace and neutrality, arrived at Kufuor's inauguration to the beat of a percussion band.
The charismatic former air force pilot did not speak, but wowed the assembled guests with sign language.
He made a thumbprint sign signifying a vote for the NPP, then the corresponding sign for his own National Democratic Congress, before crossing his thumbs to signify unity.
The inauguration followed the swearing in of a new 200-strong parliament, including 100 members of the NPP.
In a ceremony at Parliament House, broadcast on national television, the politicians draped in Kente cloth swore their allegiance to the republic and constitution before taking the oath of office as members of parliament.
The body earlier unanimously elected Peter Ala Adjetey, a lawyer and former NPP chairman, as speaker.
Rawlings' NDC saw its comfortable 133-seat share of parliament shrink to 92 in December's historic elections. The NDC was accused of corruption and financial mismanagement leading to the current economic crisis, and some Ghanaians pointed to human rights abuses during Rawlings' rule, especially as military strongman from 1981 to 1992.
Despite these associations, Rawlings retained widespread popularity, even cult status, at the grassroots level, and he is credited with assuring stability as well as significant progress in the country's development.
Kufuor has pledged to accord Rawlings the respect due to a former head of state, telling him in their first face-to-face meeting last week: "You have passed the test. You manned the ship of state well and have come out honorably."
Rawlings, who seized power in a 1981 coup, legitimized his rule in elections in 1992, and was returned to office in 1996, when he narrowly defeated Kufuor.
Rawlings' NDC saw its comfortable 133-seat share of parliament shrink to 92 in December's historic elections.
The ceremonies on Sunday marked the first peaceful democratic transfer of power in Ghana since the west African country won independence from Britain in 1957.
The constitution of 1992, which restored multi-party politics in Ghana, limits the presidency to two four-year terms.