Lawmakers in the Sierra Leone parliament on Wednesday had cause to exchange blows as violent scenes were recoded over a new electoral arrangement.

Viral social media footage showed punches being exchanged amid what could be described as a shouting match.

There is also a tussle for the parliamentary mace, between staff of Parliament and some MPs.

Items are also thrown from across the two sides of the House and MPs descend to the floor of the chamber either fighting or seeking to restore sanity.

A debate on plan to implement proportional representation in the next local and general elections has split the two sides of Parliament.

The elections body made the proposal which requires parliamentary approval hence the particular session which degenerated.

Similar incidents have been recorded in the lat few years in a number of Parliaments including that of South Africa, Ghana and Uganda.

Brawl and brouhaha in Sierra Leone Parliament. #SierraLeone #SierraLeoneParliament #Freetown pic.twitter.com/vv3LmJgEd9

— Alhaji Musa Bah (@omegabritishbah) November 23, 2022