Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament Warns Leaders to Learn from Kenya’s Unrest Ahead of December Elections
The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged the government, its appointees, Members of Parliament (MPs), and other policymakers to heed the recent events in Kenya.
He pointed out that Kenya’s recent youth reprisal attacks should be a wake-up call for Ghanaian leaders, especially as the country prepares for a critical election on December 7.
Speaker Bagbin noted that the situation in Kenya is similar to that in Ghana and emphasized the importance of ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections.
“People sometimes take so many things for granted including my colleagues in Parliament but we all can bear witness that what happened in Kenya is now in Tanzania it could be in Ghana and I am not saying it will be in Ghana.
We are not different from our brothers and sisters in Kenya and so we have to take preemptive measures to prevent that from happening and so we must do all we can to make sure that the right person that Ghanaians want to lead the country, leads the country and so in this matter, I will do all I can so that nobody reads partisanship in whatever I do,” He said.
He advised leaders, including MPs, not to take the electoral process for granted.
Bagbin revealed that he had contacted key stakeholders, including the chairpersons of the Electoral Commission and the National Commission for Civic Education, traditional authorities, and the Chief Justice. He plans to engage with President Akufo-Addo to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
During a meeting with journalists in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, the Speaker stressed the need for proactive measures to protect Ghana’s democracy ahead of the 2024 elections.
