Ghanaian Afrobeats/Highlife singer Kelvyn Boy has joined the #FreeTheCitizens movement on social media, calling Vice President and NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to intervene in the arrests of individuals involved in recent protests.
Kelvyn Boy
The arrested persons, who were arraigned and remanded into police and prison custody, are expected to reappear in court on October 8th and 11th, 2024. Kelvyn Boy challenged Dr. Bawumia on X (formerly Twitter), urging him to use his influence to secure the release of those detained.
He argued that failing to do so could harm the NPP’s chances in the upcoming 7th December presidential elections. “Your time to make a difference is now! #FreetheCitizens,” he tweeted on 25th September, directly addressing Dr. Bawumia.
Dr. Bawumia
The singer also criticised the government’s handling of the situation, suggesting it would negatively affect their candidate’s campaign. “This government led by Nana Addo is making it more and more difficult for their next candidate to win in December. Where did citizens go wrong?” he asserted.
The arrests occurred during a three-day protest organised by the Oliver Baker-Vormawor-led Democracy Hub. Viral social media videos captured Baker-Vormawor turning off a police truck’s ignition and walking away with the keys, resulting in his immediate arrest.
Other demonstrators obstructed traffic by lying on mats, sitting on tree branches, and placing stones on the road, instructing both private and commercial road users to find alternative routes. Videos from the courthouse also showed those arraigned asserting their innocence against various charges related to public disorder.
Among those detained were individuals claiming to be innocent bystanders, including a man reportedly returning from church, a pregnant woman, and bus conductors who insisted they had no involvement in the alleged lawlessness.
Kelvyn Boy’s comments have added to the growing public discourse on the government’s handling of the protests and the broader implications for the upcoming elections.