In Ghana, a Member of Parliament recently raised concerns in their parliament, cautioning colleagues to be mindful of the situation in Kenya following anti-government protests. The MP highlighted the events of June 25 in Kenya, where protesters entered Parliament, causing panic among MPs. They directed their comments towards Ghana’s deputy minister for Information, seeking their perspective on the Kenyan protests.
“He should have taken the opportunity to brief the House on what he saw in Kenya. The Kenyan public are beating up Members of Parliament for passing bad laws. Mr Speaker, it is a serious matter. I saw colleagues Members of Parliament beaten to a pulp,” he said.
Amid what appears to be murmurs and interjections from the House speaker, the MP pushed on, urging his colleagues to take the matter seriously as it was not something to be laughed about.
“Mr Speaker, advise us on how to pass good laws to avoid being beaten by the public. We should be worried. It is not a laughing matter. It is not a joke,” he reiterated.
The Member of Parliament in Ghana emphasized the importance of Ghanaian legislators prioritizing public opinion and enacting fair laws to avoid the kind of backlash witnessed during the Kenyan protests on June 25.
Despite being cautioned by the Speaker that the issue was a sideline, the MP persisted, highlighting scenes of chaos and police escorting individuals to safety through tunnels in Kenya’s Parliament. The incident involved thousands of protesters breaching security, causing damage, vandalizing, and occupying parliamentary seats.
In response, veteran journalist Beatrice Marshall remarked critically on the reputation of Kenyan MPs, while a Nigerian commentator hinted at potential consequences in upcoming elections. Ghanaian personalities also weighed in, with sentiments ranging from skepticism about replicating such protests in Ghana to calls for action.
Meanwhile, the anti-Finance Bill protests in Kenya have evolved into #RutoMustGo protests, with continued demonstrations nationwide demanding the President’s resignation.
