forward'. Chapter 3 The Shift from Elite Populism to Footsoldierism The rise of footsoldiers in Ghana could be linked directly to the populist grassroots/decentralization structures that were instituted in the 1980s and 1990s. Footsoldierism developed as a result of the successful electioneering mechanism of the NDC, which consisted of door-to-door campaigns in the rural areas, and smaller cities of Ghana. This was achieved by drawing successfully on the NDC's history of mass mobilization of youth for the cause of the party. The footsoldiers within the party, therefore, are those supporters who perceive themselves to have contributed significantly towards the campaign and election of the NDC into power, and thus have high expectations of the government for jobs and other rewards. When these expectations were not met by the government, agitation within the party began to arise. In August 2010, irate NDC activists were alleged to have chased away the Abuakwa South National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) manager, and hoisted red flags on the premises to register their displeasure over unclear grievances. Moments after the closure of the NHIS office, the leader of the foot-soldiers went on radio to challenge the police to a showdown, saying he did not fear the police because, as he put it,'no matter how long the moustache of a mouse might be, it could not scare a cat.' He further threatened that if the police dared to arrest him, the NHIS office would go up in flames within 15 minutes of his arrest (Yeboah, 2010:1)). While these recent threats of violence have 89