Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (EthioPolitics.com) — Reporter – Most of the time, MPs or journalists attending parliamentary sessions are accustomed to witnessing MPs belonging to the ruling party EPRDF raising their hands, almost without exception, in favour of passing any motion tolled on the floor. But on Thursday out of a habit of raising their hands for the Yal, they practically voted nae against the wishes of the leaders of their party.

Parliament was discussing a bill amending the National Flag Proclamation, and at the last moment, yielding to comments made by the opposition MPs, EPRDF’s deputy whip proposed to postpose the draft amendment from being referred to one of the standing committees. So EPRDF MPs should have voted against referring the bill to the standing committee.

But out of habit, they raised their hands for referring it to the committees, and they had to lower their hands when they saw the disapproval look from senior members of the party who were sitting in the front row which caused laughter among attendees.