Ghanaian MPs safe after being caught in Kenyan protests

Five Ghanaian Members of Parliament (MPs) and an accompanying officer are safe after being caught up in recent violent protests in Kenya, according to Ghana's Parliamentary Service.

The delegation, which included members of the Local Government Committee, was on a benchmarking visit to the Kenyan Parliament when the unrest erupted. They were reportedly in the Kenyan Parliament building at the time.

"The High Commission of Ghana in Kenya has confirmed that the five Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Officer accompanying the delegation are safe and secure," a statement from the Parliamentary Service said.

The statement identified the delegation members as Chairman of the Local Government Committee Mr Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi, Ranking Member, Mr Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, and MPs Mr Sylvester Tetteh, Mr Thomas Ampem Nyarko, and Mr Mohammed Taferu. Madam Anita Quartey Papafio, a Senior Principal Assistant Clerk, was also named as part of the delegation.

The statement added that the MPs were "immediately escorted and secured in the Senate building and finally evacuated to their hotel by Officials of the Kenyan Parliament."

The incident has sparked concern in Ghana, but the Parliamentary Service has assured the public that the delegation's safe return is a priority.

In an interview, Mr. Vanderpuye, said God have saved them from "a very difficult and dangerous situation".

"As members of parliament, we've witnessed many demonstrations as political activities, we've been part of demonstrations, but what we saw in Kenya today was frightening," he said in an interview on TV3.

It was a determined force of civilians, overpowering and overcoming security forces that have been detailed to prevent them from achieving the objective of entry in the Parliament House".