You are using violence because you don’t understand the law – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu slams MPs

Melee breaks out in Parliament

Parliament suspends sitting indefinitely

Sports Minister allegedly sustains blade cuts*

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu,

Read full articlehas criticized some members of the house for failing to learn the rules on which the house operates.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu posit that some members of the house resort to violence due to their lack of appreciation for the law.

Speaking on Okay FM, the Member of Parliament for Suame gave a detailed explanation of what he believes to be the law.

He claims that the inability of some MPs to interpret the law as he does is what has compelled them to use violence to settle issue.

He maintained that first Deputy Speaker, Joe Wise, was justified with his decision to abdicate his seat and partake in the head-counting exercise.

“Some of the MPs don’t understand the law. A lot of speakers don’t have original votes but have casting votes so they wait till when there is equal number of votes then they exercise their casting votes.

“Speakers who are MPs have their original votes. Osei as a Deputy Speaker has a casting vote. As MP, Osei can vote when he steps down. It was not my duty to call the house to order. So, if someone does not want the Speaker to sit, what can I do?

“This stage of proceedings requires a lot of intelligence and wisdom but if someone does not want to use wisdom, what can I do. Some people can’t use their senses so they’ve resorted to violence,” he said.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was reacting to the melee that ensued on the floor of Parliament on Monday December 20, 2021.

How it happened

Joe Wise took over the role of Speakership from and moderated debate on the controversial Electronic Transaction levy.

Everything was going well until a division had to be called on whether the E-levy bill should be admitted under a certificate of urgency.

With both sides locked on 137-137 following Joe Wise’s ascension unto the throne of speakership, confidence was rife in the camp of the minority that they were going to have their way.

The bombshell was however dropped when Joe Wise announced that he will take part in the head count.

The arrangement was that, he was going to vacate his position for the Second Deputy once he is counted.

The Minority MPs protested briefly before allowing the process to continue but just when the Second Deputy Speaker was about to take over from Joe Wise, all hell broke loose.

MPs from both sides engaged in fisticuffs with some blows, slaps and kicks from both sides. Calm restored and sitting was adjourned to Tuesday, December 21, 2021.

On Tuesday, the house reconvened and sitting was adjourned indefinitely.