This archive report was first published on 7 August 2019.
On Wednesday, the National Assembly's morning proceedings were temporarily disrupted when Kwale Woman Representative Zuleika Hassan entered the chambers with her five-month-old baby. The incident occurred on August 7, 2019.
Speaker Christopher Omulele ordered Ms. Hassan to withdraw from the chamber, stating that it was not the right place to care for her child. However, a section of male MPs and women lawmakers supported Ms. Hassan, urging her to stay put.
As the situation escalated, Speaker Omulele called the sergeant-at-arms to evict Ms. Hassan, who was being shielded by her female counterparts. Ms. Hassan was eventually forced to leave the chambers.
Addressing the press after leaving the chambers, Ms. Hassan stated that she had an emergency and decided not to miss work but come with the baby. She added, 'She is not an atomic bomb and can't explode.'
MPs had passed a motion in 2013 directing the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) to set aside a room within Parliament buildings for breastfeeding mothers. However, this directive has yet to be implemented six years later.
Several lawmakers, including Ijara MP Sophia Abdi Noor and Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai, expressed their disappointment and frustration with the situation. They questioned why the PSC had failed to give priority to young mothers by setting up a crèche.
