“Kume preko” means “kill me at once” in Twi. In May 1995, it was the slogan of the biggest street protest Accra had seen in years.
In March 1995, the government of Jerry Rawlings introduced a value added tax at 17.5 percent, replacing the old sales tax. Prices rose sharply. Traders, workers and consumers complained that they were already struggling, and the opposition saw an opportunity. The country had returned to multiparty rule only in 1993, and the protest became an early test of how far the new democracy would tolerate dissent on the streets.
The Alliance for Change
A coalition of opposition politicians, activists and civil society figures formed the Alliance for Change to organise resistance. Among its leading figures were Nana Akufo-Addo, the future president, and the journalist Kwesi Pratt. The slogan meant that people would rather be killed at once than die slowly from hardship.
11 May 1995
On 11 May 1995, thousands of people marched through Accra, many dressed in red and black, the colours of mourning. The demonstration was largely peaceful, but violence broke out when groups attacked the marchers. Several people were killed.
The deaths caused outrage and increased pressure on the government. Opposition leaders blamed government supporters for the attacks, a charge the government rejected.
The retreat
The government withdrew the VAT in June 1995 and returned to the previous sales tax system. It was a rare case of a Ghanaian government reversing a major policy under street pressure.
VAT returns
In December 1998, VAT was reintroduced at 10 percent, after consultation and public education. It has since become one of the government’s main sources of revenue. The rate has changed over the years, and additional levies have been added.
Legacy
Kume Preko showed that street protest could influence policy in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. It also gave the opposition a rallying moment and shaped the careers of several activists.
The slogan has been revived at later protests, including against fuel price increases and new taxes. Organisers know the words still carry weight.
Taxes and protests since
Later tax measures have also drawn protests, including the electronic transfer levy, or E-Levy, introduced in 2022, which the Mahama government abolished in 2025.
Every Ghanaian government since 1995 has had to remember that the tax man meets the street in Accra.
