In a press statement issued by its acting General Secretary, Mr John Boadu, it indicated that no Ghanaian citizen deserved such bizarre treatment, especially from a fellow sub-Saharan African country where there exists a "relaxed immigration dispensation" to facilitate the movement of people among member states.

According to the statement, the NPP received with utter shock and dismay news of the deportation of Miessrs Mac Manu and Nimako, by the Kenyan authorities and government by extension.

“Our information is that the duo were not even allowed to "disembark" from the plane that took them to Kenya and were compelled by the authorities to board the next available flight back to Ghana,” the statement indicated.

Most repugnant

That, the party found most repugnant, dehumanising and unacceptable and, therefore, condemned same with all vehemence.

The statement added that it was even more worrying that in this particular instance, “we are talking about a leading political figure in Ghana who also happens to be a former National Chairman and 2016 Campaign Manager of the governing party in Ghana, the NPP.’’

The party stated that the delegation, led by Mr Mac Manu did not travel to Kenya on the ticket of the NPP; neither was it representing the interest of the party in Kenya.

“They went there at the behest of the Democratic Union of Africa (DUA) of which Mac Manu is the Honorary Chair, ostensibly to observe the Kenyan elections on behalf of the union,” it stated.

The DUA is the African charter of the International Democratic Union (IDU) which is the global alliance of all centre-right political parties including the NPP. It is also worthy of note that Mac Manu is a Vice Chair of the IDU.

Election monitoring

The NPP statement said election monitoring and observation in any country by international organisations such as the IDU and DUA was a standard practice worldwide since the world is a global village.

“That is why we find the actions of the Kenyan authorities as very grotesque and a diplomatic anathema which has the propensity to mar the otherwise fine relationship between the two countries if not handled with care. No matter the reservations the Kenyans had in respect to the Mac Manu-led DUA delegation, they could have handled it diplomatically and with candour,” the statement added.

Finally, the NPP demanded explanations from the Kenyan authorities regarding the conduct meted out to the delegation.