How Zulekha sneaked baby to Parliament – Deputy Speaker Cheboi

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi says Kwale Woman Representative Zulekha Hassan sneaked her 5-month old baby to Parliament using an emergency exit.

House business was disrupted for over half an hour on Wednesday morning, August 7, when it was discovered that Zulekha had carried her baby to the National Assembly chamber.

Luanda MP, Christopher Omulele, who was the temporary Speaker, ordered Zulekha out of the National Assembly chamber, saying the House provides a separate room for lactating mothers, but not the floor of Parliament.

“It has come to the attention of the Speaker that that a Member of Parliament, Hon. Zulekha Hassan is in the debating chamber of the National Assembly with a child in her hands. I, as the Speaker today, determine the membership of the National Assembly, all the 349,” said Omulele.

“In as much as Hon. Zulekha Hassan wants to take care of her child, this is not the place for it. And I, therefore, direct that she immediately be withdrawn, and she may return to the chamber after she withdraws the child. Those are the directions of the Speaker. The Hon. Zulekha Hassan, kindly withdraw immediately!” ordered the temporary Speaker.

The Kwale Woman Rep obeyed Omulele’s order, but not before a section of MPs called out the temporary speaker for “being insensitive toward lactating mothers”.

And now, Deputy Speaker Cheboi says he has established how the woman rep entered Parliament with her baby.

“The report filed to me indicates that the member concealed the baby and entered the chamber through the emergency exit instead of the main entrance to the chamber. The report further indicates that the member only revealed the baby once she got into the chamber, confirming that the act was premeditated,” says Cheboi in an official report.

“I am informed that the member claimed that the reason for her action is that there is not breast feeding stations for lactating mothers within the precincts of Parliament,” said Cheboi, adding that the claim is untrue because there is a facility on the 4th floor of the Red Cross Building which caters for lactating mothers.

“The action of the member of exposing the infant was indeed very insensitive, demeaning and undignified,” said Cheboi.

-Reprimanded and warned-

“Whereas such grossly disorderly conduct attracts an immediate punishment for the withdrawal from the precincts of the Assembly for a minimum of five days and a maximum of 28 days, I choose to caution and reprimand the member for Kwale County. In this regard, Zulekha is hereby severely reprimanded and warned to refrain from engaging in such conduct in future,” said Cheboi.