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WATCH | Babies in parliament: New Zealand vs Kenya

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Parli day care.
Parli day care.

As New Zealand's Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard received praise on Twitter for bottle-feeding and cradling a baby in parliament in Wellington (watch in the video above), a Kenyan MP was kicked out for doing the same. 

Earlier this month, MP Zuleikha Hassan was made to leave the parliament in Nairobi because she had brought her baby girl with her to work. 

"I said, 'Why should I stay at home and not go to work, just because of the baby?'" she told the press, explaining that unforeseen circumstances with her baby's nanny had prompted her decision, "So, I said, 'I’m going to Parliament with a baby'." 

Temporary speaker of the House, Chris Omulele, shouting out his demand for Zuleikha to "kindly withdraw with decorum" caused a stir amongst attendees, and some female members joined her in leaving the premises. 

Look:

According to the speaker, childminding while in chambers is against their rules, which prompted his decision. 

Parliament member Sara Korere, who had been present when the situation took place, was one of those who chose to walk out. Later commenting that women "cannot continue to be subjected to situations whereby you have to choose between the baby and the work.”

Perhaps the incident will spark some much-needed change in the East African country. 

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Compiled for Parent24 by Lesley-Anne Johannes. 

Source: The New York Times 

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