TRENDING VIDEO: New Zealand speaker feeds colleague’s baby during plenary

A video has surfaced online where Trevor Mallard, speaker of New Zealand’s parliament, is seen feeding a colleague’s baby while presiding over a debate during plenary.

In the now viral video, Mallard assumed the role of babysitter while presiding over the house.

The speaker had taken to his Twitter page on Wednesday to share images of him feeding and cradling MP Tamati Coffey’s newborn son while on duties.

“Normally the Speaker’s chair is only used by Presiding Officers but today a VIP took the chair with me. Congratulations @tamaticoffey and Tim on the newest member of your family,” he wrote.

The pictures have begun to gain attraction on social media platforms and also garnered over 6,000 likes as of the time this report was filled.

Coffey had announced the birth of Tutanekai Smith-Coffey, his son, six weeks ago. The boy was birthed via a surrogate mother and is the biological son of Tim Smith, Coffey’s partner.

Some members of the parliament also took to the microblogging service to express their delight over little Tūtānekai’s presence in the house.

More than two weeks ago, Zulekha Hassan, a Kenyan lawmaker, was asked to leave the floor of the national assembly for coming with her baby.

Chris Omulele, the speaker, who gave the order, said her actions were unprecedented. He added that “as much as she might want to take care of her child, this is not the place for it.”

Some users have taken to the social media platform to draw comparison between what happened in Kenya’s national assembly and New Zealand’s parliament.

Here is what some Twitter users had to say: