Saraki fit to run, Dino Melaye can climb tree, Shehu Sani teases as protesters storm Kenyan parliament

Former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani has teased some former and present Nigerian senators following the violence that has greeted protests in Kenya.

Tension escalated on Tuesday, as police opened fire on demonstrators who stormed the parliament, in protest of tax increases.

The crowds retaliated throwing stones at police, pushing past barricades, and entering the grounds of parliament. The incident left lawmakers scampering for safety.

Five demonstrators were reportedly shot dead and 31 wounded, several NGOs, including Amnesty Kenya, reported in a joint statement.

However, a source told AFP on Wednesday that the death toll had climbed to 13.

Proposed tax hikes and the rising cost of living have fueled the protests.

Reacting, Sani, via the microblogging platform X, formerly Twitter on Wednesday, said if such should happen in Nigeria, he was sure former Senate President Bukola Saraki was fit to run but couldn’t say the same thing for Senators Ahmad Lawan and Godswill Akpabio.

Teasing Senator Dino Melaye, the former lawmaker said he could climb a tree for safety, but Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, known for organising beauty pageants, would be caught catwalking.

“When I watched the Kenyan Senators running, I know that Saraki is physically fitted to run but I’m not sure of Senators Lawan and Akpabio.

“Dino can jump and Climb tree but Ben Bruce can only do Catwalk,” Sani wrote playfully.