Five Ghanaian Parliamentarians Caught Up In Kenyan Parliament As Protesters Breach Perimeter
- Five Ghanaian parliamentarians have been caught up in a skirmish that occurred at the Kenyan parliament on Tuesday, June 25, 2024
- The parliamentarians were in Kenya on a study visit with fellow counterparts from Namibia and Malawi
- Kenyan protesters protesting the passage of a finance bill broke into their parliament and set parts of it ablaze
Five Ghanaian parliamentarians and a clerk were caught up in the chaos that ensued at the Kenyan Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, June 25, 2024.
The legislators were Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Sylvester Tetteh, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Thomas Ampem and Mohammed Tuferu.
Source: Getty Images
The legislators, members of the Local Government Committee, were on a study visit to Kenya, alongside other legislators from Namibia and Malawi, when angry protesters breached the perimeters of the Kenyan parliament and stormed the building.
They were present in the chamber of Kenya’s parliament when news broke of the breach.
The members of parliament were whisked away by security personnel away from the raging protesters to a safe space.
Speaking to the media in Ghana, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, the leader of the group, assured Ghanaians that they were safe in Nairobi.
He said the parliamentarians escaped unhurt, however, due to efforts by the Kenyan police to control the mob, they inhaled some tear gas.
He said they were initially kept in a bunker to wait out the mob and then later to a safer place outside the parliament’s perimeter.
Why are Kenyans protesting?
Young Kenyans have been protesting an unpopular finance bill which they say, if implemented, would impose unaffordable tax rises on ordinary citizens and businesses already reeling under a high cost of living.
Initially, the bill imposed higher taxes on basic items such as bread which would have received a 16% sales tax and a 25% duty on cooking oil.
The bill would also have increased the tax on financial transactions and imposed a new annual tax on car ownership, which would be 2.5% of the value of the vehicle.
Following initial protests, these provisions were scrapped. However, protesters are demanding the bill be scrapped completely.
On Tuesday, after the bill was passed amidst public uproar, protesters broke into parliament.
Police responded to the breach by firing live rounds into the protesters leading to the death of five persons.
Minority in parliament to repeal e-levy, emissions bill
YEN.com.gh reported that in Ghana, the minority in parliament said they are introducing a private member's bill to repeal the e-levy, emissions tax and betting tax.
They argued that these taxes are nuisance taxes and place an unnecessary burden on the populace.
They urged the Majority to support them.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
