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Female lawmakers protest in Kenya as MP with baby is ordered to leave parliament

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Female lawmakers protest in Kenya as MP with baby is ordered to leave parliament

Female lawmakers in Kenya staged a walk out protest in solidarity with a colleague who was ordered to leave parliament because she had taken her baby with her.

The Member of Parliament identified as Zuleika Hassan said she had brought her five-month-old baby with her to work because of a domestic emergency and that parliament didn’t have a creche.

She was however told to leave the parliament because according to the house rules, “strangers” are not allowed into the chamber, children included.

Some of Hassan’s male colleagues even went ahead to describe her actions as shameful.

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After the incident, Ms Hassan called on parliament to create a more “family-friendly atmosphere” if it wanted more women to become MPs.

“I have tried really hard not to come with the baby, but today I had an emergency; what was I supposed to do? If parliament had a nursery or a creche, I would be able to put my baby there,” she said.

However, Hassan’s supporters have condemned her treatment which happened during theWorld Breast feeding week.

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