On Tuesday, a dramatic scene unfolded at the Parliament Buildings as two female Members of Parliament clashed in front of cameras.
A video shared with the Star captured the confrontation between Umulkheir Harun, a nominated MP from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and Falhada Iman, an MP for the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA). The footage shows the two MPs exchanging heated words while other female colleagues attempted, unsuccessfully, to intervene.
One of the MPs trying to break up the fight was heard calling for assistance from other legislators who were observing from a distance. Another MP urged those watching to stop recording the altercation.
The situation was eventually diffused when the Sergeant-at-Arms intervened and successfully separated the two MPs. However, even after being pulled apart, they continued to exchange insults.
Following the incident, Umulkheir expressed her regret, describing the event as unfortunate. She stated that she has reported the matter to the appropriate authorities.
“Today, an unfortunate incident occurred on the parliamentary grounds—a situation I deeply regret both as a Member of Parliament and as a mother. I have made a complaint regarding the assault to the necessary institutions,” her statement partially reads.
Umulkheir emphasized her disapproval of any misconduct, stating, “I sincerely regret this occurrence and want to stress that I do not endorse or encourage any form of misconduct. While I am not providing further comments at this time, I remain fully committed to upholding the respectful and dignified standards expected of our institution and myself, particularly as a Muslim woman.
The political environment can be challenging, but there is never an excuse for behavior that compromises the integrity of our work. I hope we can work together to create a more respectful and constructive atmosphere moving forward,” she concluded.
