Angry Tanzania MP turns parliament into a circus

A Tanzanian MP angered by poor conditions of roads in his constituency turned parliament into a circus on Monday with a handstand on the microphone rows.

Flatei Massey, the MP for Mbulu constituency in northern Tanzania, was commenting on budget estimates when he called on the government to fulfil its pledge to construct a 100km (62 miles) tarmac road in his constituency.

He said the promise had been ignored in the last three budgets and the handstand was meant to draw the attention of the authorities.

“I am doing all this to express how my people are disappointed by the government. We need all promises implemented. Why are other constituents getting what they were promised and we people of Mbulu don’t get anything?” he told the BBC.

The local Mwananchi newspaper has tweeted a photo of the lawmaker’s handstand in parliament:

Mr Massey is a member of the ruling CCM party and has on many occasion put his acrobatic skills on display.

In September 2018, he somersaulted in front of vehicles handed over by the ministry of tourism for the protection of wild animals against poaching.