Parliament turned chaotic on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, after a heated exchange broke out during a debate session. The drama unfolded when DK, a male Member of Parliament, demanded that Homabay Woman Representative Joyce Bensouda withdraw a comment she made earlier. Bensouda had referred to male MPs as “clueless” while she was giving her opinion on youth policy and the challenges in leadership.
Her statement caused immediate uproar from some of the male lawmakers present. DK quickly stood up on a point of order, clearly angered by the remark. He argued that the comment was not only insulting but also damaging to the dignity of the House.
According to him, such statements amount to character attacks and send a poor message to the young people watching the proceedings. He insisted that Bensouda take back her words in order to maintain respect within the chamber. Before Bensouda could give her side, several female MPs began shouting in protest.
They defended her and accused DK of trying to silence women whenever they raised uncomfortable truths. Their reaction made the situation even more tense, with loud heckling and shouting filling the House. One of the female MPs loudly responded, saying they would not stand by and watch women be bullied whenever they spoke their minds.
She argued that every time a woman tells the truth in Parliament, she is pressured to apologise or withdraw her remarks.The Speaker of the National Assembly had no choice but to step in and try to restore order. He reminded MPs of the need to maintain discipline and decency, especially during serious national debates.
He said freedom of speech should be respected, but warned against using words that could be seen as generalising or offensive to a particular group. His words helped calm the situation, at least for a while.
When Bensouda finally had the chance to speak again, she made it clear that her statement was not directed at anyone in particular. She explained that she was speaking based on her observations of how some male MPs behave during discussions on youth and leadership matters.
According to her, the comment was meant to reflect a gap that needed to be addressed, not to attack anyone personally.The matter was eventually resolved after long exchanges from both sides. Still, the incident exposed deeper gender-based frustrations that continue to simmer within Parliament.
After things settled, MPs agreed to move on with the day’s agenda, but with reminders about the importance of tolerance, mutual respect, and mature dialogue, regardless of political or gender differences.
