The daughter of the late president, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, Zanetor Rawlings, has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to rid itself of any residual “demons” in order to win the impending 2024 elections.
Zanetor Rawlings, a lawmaker, emphasised the need for the NDC, which she described as the result of the revolution, to undergo a careful self-examination when she gave a fervent speech at a church in Cape Coast on June 3 to mark the beginning of the 44th-anniversary commemoration of the June 4 Revolution.
She emphasised that any harmful influences that may have slowly crept in over time must be removed from the celebration.
“If the NDC is to rescue this country by 2024, we must clear ourselves of any demon that entered while we were not paying attention,” Zanetor Rawlings declared, encouraging her party members to reflect on their conduct and align themselves with the June 4 Uprising’s values.
The arrest and prosecution of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and other junior military officers by the leadership of the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II) prompted the June 4 Revolution, also known as the June 4th Uprising. Following a failed coup attempt on May 15, 1979, the former president and his colleagues were charged with mutiny.
During his trial, Jerry John Rawlings offered a variety of reasons for the failed rebellion. He emphasised the denial of pay to junior military commanders, pervasive corruption among Supreme Military Council officials, bad governance, economic challenges, and general populist dissatisfaction. Furthermore, he cited indiscipline within the Ghana Army as a crucial contributing element to the revolt.
The demand by Zanetor Rawlings for the NDC to exorcise its demons reflects the spirit of the June 4 Revolution, which attempted to confront these issues and bring about constructive change in the party.