Moment enraged male MP punches female lawmaker for being ‘discourteous’ before she hurls a chair at him sparking chaotic brawl inside Senegal’s parliament

• Opposition MP Massata Samb walked over and hit Amy Ndiaye Gniby
• Gniby of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition hurled a chair back at Samb
• Session was suspended as lawmakers traded blows, insults and accusations

A brawl erupted in Senegal’s parliament on Thursday after a male opposition lawmaker hit a female colleague on the head, television footage showed. 

It comes amid increasingly bitter relations between ruling and opposition party politicians.

During a budget presentation, opposition member of parliament Massata Samb walked over and lashed out at Amy Ndiaye Gniby of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) coalition, sparking a wave of scuffles.

Gniby hurled a chair back at Samb before another MP wrestled her to the floor. 

During a budget presentation, opposition member of parliament Massata Samb walked over and lashed out at Amy Ndiaye Gniby of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) coalition. Gniby hurled a chair back at Samb before another MP wrestled her to the floor

The session was suspended as lawmakers traded blows, insults and accusations. The comes amid increasingly bitter relations between ruling and opposition party politicians

The session was suspended as lawmakers traded blows, insults and accusations.

Tensions have rising between ruling and opposition politicians since a July legislative election in which the ruling party lost its comfortable majority, damaged in part by concerns President Macky Sall will seek a third term in 2024.

Sall, 60, has refused to state clearly whether he plans to run for a third term, a move the opposition say would be in breach of term limits and of an earlier promise.

Supporters of Sall argue a constitutional reform reset the clock, allowing him to run again.

Tensions have rising between ruling and opposition politicians since a July legislative election in which the ruling party lost its comfortable majority, damaged in part by concerns President Macky Sall will seek a third term in 2024

Another scuffle broke out in September when parliament convened for the first time after the election as lawmakers fought over leadership of the house.

Samb on Thursday was addressing the assembly about comments Gniby made over the weekend in which she spoke out against a spiritual leader opposed to a third Sall term.

‘Mister president, a deputy has stood in front of this tribune to insult someone’s marabout [spiritual leader],’ said Samb.

Local media reports that Samb said the remarks were ‘discourteous’. 

Gniby scoffed at his comments and declared she did not care, after which Samb stopped his speech and rushed over to her.

Footage of the fight has been shared widely on social media, sparking debate about violence against women.

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