Ghanian army forced to step in to end parliamentary brawl

In a prophetic like way of what's to come, divided Ghanian MPs traded blows and slaps in parliament ahead of Thursday's swearing-in ceremony of the gridlocked chamber.

Ghana stands out as a stable democracy in volatile West Africa, although the elections were marked by opposition accusations of fraud and five people died in the violence [Nipah Dennis/AFP]

Chaos erupted when an MP from the NPP governing party reached out to grab the ballot box during the vote to appoint a speaker. Moments later arguments began followed by fistfights.

It took several hours for authorities to step in and tame the boiling rage. By the time army officials got involved, viewers at home had witnessed what some described as a “complete mess” thanks to the live broadcast of the scene, courtesy of the country's national TV network.

“There was a total breakdown of law and order,” said MP-elect Kwame Twumasi Ampofo of the opposition National Democratic Congress. “Looking at a member of parliament and a minister of state snatching ballot papers … was so shameful.”

Often regarded as Africa's most stable democracy, one opposition MP incoming described what afforded as " history wrongly being made," claiming that the re-elected President Nana Akufo-Addo is to blame for the violence despite him not being personally involved.

“They thought they could bring in the military to intimidate us but we’ll resist it. The whole world was watching and everyone must be worried. It’s a testimony that Nana Akufo-Addo didn’t win the election,” said ABA Fuseini, another incoming opposition MP.

The NPP will be heading into the year with 137 seats, losing 32 in last month's election, giving it a one-seat advantage over the NDC opposition party which also managed to win 137 seats but later lost one of its seats when it was discovered that an MP in their party had dual citizenship and had to be suspended from serving, on legal ground.

Meaning the NDC is now down to 136 seats and will have to rely on a lone MP who run and won as an independent.

“If we don’t see consensus being built, I can bet you we’re going to see the NDC making life very difficult for the executive for the next four years,” said Rasheed Draman, executive director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs.

By: Niza Nondo