AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER
THE South African police were called in after pandemonium erupted, during which a woman MP was kicked, during a sitting of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in Midrand, Johannesburg.
Chaos ensued after MPs disagreed on the geographic rotation of the presidency of the PAP. The house was scheduled to vote for the presidency and deputy presidency. The election of the leadership of the continental parliament was scheduled to be held last week but was rescheduled after an MP tested positive.
SA MP Pam Majodina, from the ANC, said she would lay charges against a fellow MP, Djibril War, from Senegal after he allegedly kicked her.
Majodina told the media that she tried to intervene in a scuffle between War and Zimbabwean MP, Pupurai Togarepi, when the attack took place. “I went there to make peace. I was trying to separate them. It is at that stage that I was attacked by the honourable Djibril, who is the chairperson of the rules…And he kicked me. I am not going to take this lying down,” she said.
Later, War, in an interview with the SABC, apologized to Majodina, saying that he did not intend to kick her but was trying to kick a cellphone of a fellow MP who was recording him. War and Majodina later made peace after he apologised.
When MPs exchanged fists, one of them, yet unidentified, reached for the microphone and pleaded for the police to be called. “Please call the police,” the MP yelled. The call as various MPs shouted – in English and French – into their microphones at the same time, causing chaos.
The house was adjourned for caucuses to meet and chart the way forward.
What in the Dr Malinga is happening here😂😂😭 #PanAfricanParliament pic.twitter.com/KuMm33SMKW
— uJuniya! (@JnrCarrl) May 31, 2021
