… And the President was heckled

By Joseph Edgar…

I watched with dismay as our ordinarily distinguished National Assembly members heckled and behaved very badly during the President’s last budget presentation to them. As he spoke, the House divided into two like the fabled Red Sea with members from his party hailing and shouting encouragement and members of the opposition hurling abuses and such uncomplimentary remarks as he spoke.

Well, by this morning I had found myself in the middle of a hot debate in a political forum I belong. The vast majority say that it is part of democracy that the President should be such humiliated and shouted upon by mostly unruly and almost uncouth legislators who hide under the façade of the so called democracy to behave badly. I really beg to disagree. There are rules of engagement, procedures and order of proceedings to show dissent or to pursue an errant view. Not to be shouting down the President and treating him like you were talking to a mechanic who just badly damaged your favorite car.

Thanks to the world being a global village, we see how other parliamentarians behave even at the height of terse proceedings. The British Parliament is one for example. Members clap, bang on the table, rise and sit as proceedings go on. At the highest levels of tension and provocation, strong words and language are used but not abusive words like ‘ole, grasscutter’.

This particular Assembly has shown so much below the line tendencies that it can easily pass for a student union gathering where emotions rule. We have seen the Maze stolen, we have seen legislators go at each other both physically and otherwise. We have seen legislators jumping out of moving police trucks, we have seen legislators indicted for fraud, sexual harassment and all sort of perfidious acts and now we are seeing an Assembly showing the highest level of disrespect to the office and person of the President and Commander-in-Chief.

See, we are all critics. We all are not happy with the President and his opaque and insensitive ways of doing things. However, subjecting him to such ridicule is low. They could have as well walked up to him and slapped him because they do not agree with his policies.

A reasonable chamber would have listened intently to his speech, have a committee sit down to analyze it and come out with a position agreeing or opposing his positions. They should have pushed for a Q and A or better still invited the Presidents aides to answer questions on issues thrown up by the speech.

Read also: The debates– A beautiful distraction

Behaving badly in front of the world is to say the least childish and amateurish as it beclouds all the issues with emotion-laden dribble. Not allowing us to look at the facts dispassionately.

The seat of the Presidency is the most hallowed in the land. It cannot be ridiculed and derided no matter what. It must be respected and protected by all, talk less of the National Assembly. We must all be ready to lay down our lives to protect its sanctity because it symbolizes our nationhood, being a symbol of our continued unity and cohesion.

The Senate President and his colleague at the House of Representative do certanly owe the President an apology. They should immediately go to the Villa and tender an unreserved apology to the resident for such rude behavior and promise never to allow a reoccurrence.

This is about the Presidency of our nation and not a market place or village association meeting where you cannot even shut down the leader without being fined or, as it is in my village, banished for life.

This wasn’t funny at all. it was a monumental disgrace. I beg to differ.

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