A physical altercation between two female lawmakers at Kenya’s Parliament Buildings has ignited a wave of condemnation and prompted one of the involved Members of Parliament, Umulkheir Harun Mohammed, to issue a statement outlining her reasons for the confrontation.

Umulkheir Harun, a nominated MP representing the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, expressed her regret over the incident involving Falhada Iman, a representative in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), who is associated with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.

In her statement released on Tuesday, April 8, Harun apologized for the “unfortunate incident” but also provided her account of what transpired, citing four key reasons that led to the physical confrontation:

1. Accusation of Opposing Her Work

Harun claimed that Iman has consistently opposed her parliamentary work, creating an environment of hostility.

2. Alleged Ambush in Parliament

The ODM MP stated that Iman came to the Parliament building with the sole intention of attacking her, catching her off guard.

“She came to Parliament to do nothing but attack me-an incident that blindsided me and left me questioning what faulted the ambush,” Harun explained.

3. Emotional Response to the Attack

Harun indicated that the unexpected nature and intensity of Iman’s actions deeply affected her, leading to the escalation of the argument into a physical fight.

“I was moved by the incident, hence the escalation and physical confrontation,” she stated.

4. Defense Against Unacceptable Behavior

While apologizing for the physical altercation, Harun suggested that Iman’s behavior was “unacceptable,” implying that her actions warranted a strong response.

“Today an unfortunate incident occurred on the parliamentary grounds situation I deeply regret both as a Member of Parliament and as a mother,” Harun said in her statement.

“My colleague from the EALA, who has expressed longstanding differences with my work, acted in a manner that I find unacceptable.”

Harun also emphasized her commitment to upholding the standards of conduct expected in Parliament, particularly as a Muslim woman.

“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 of myself, particularly as a Muslim woman,” she stated.

She further urged leaders to foster a more respectful and constructive environment in the political arena.

“The political landscape is inherently challenging, but there is never justification for behavior that undermines the integrity of our work. I hope that together we can foster a more respectful and constructive environment moving forward,” Harun said, adding that she was recording complaints about the incident with the relevant institutions.

The altercation between the two leaders occurred on Tuesday, April 8, and was captured on video, showing them exchanging harsh words before physically fighting.

Parliament security intervened to separate them, with other leaders also attempting to de-escalate the situation. Following the physical fight, the two women reportedly continued to exchange insults.