- The first-term MP edged out season politicians to emerge among the most performing lawmakers countrywide.
- A lawyer in Kakamega County has sued Salasya for allegedly attacking him physically and verbally.
Image: SCREENGRAB
From the moment he was sworn as MP for Mumias East Constituency, Peter Salasya has been in the spotlight often for many reasons.
The youthful first-term MP has already made a name for himself for interminably courting controversy inside and outside Parliament.
Even with a string of controversies hanging around his neck, a recent poll by Infortrak ranked Salasya as among the top-performing young MPs in the country coming in at position four.
Salasya edged out season politicians to emerge among the most performing lawmakers countrywide.
The ranking notwithstanding, Salasya was during the weekend attacked and chased out of a church service at Bukaya Catholic Church in Mumias West Constituency by rowdy youths thought to be supporters of Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa.
A fierce critic of Barasa, Salasya was midway through his speech when a man allied to the county boss snatched the microphone from him to cut short his address.
Fighting ensued and more people joined in as the host, Mumias West MP Johnstone Naika and other guests among them Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula and Barasa watched.
Salasya’s bodyguards were forced to shoot into the air as they evacuated the MP.
The incident came barely weeks after a lawyer in Kakamega County sued Salasya for allegedly attacking him physically and verbally.
The MP allegedly attacked the lawyer for handling a case in which the legislator is accused of failing to pay back a loan of Sh500,000 given to him during the August 2022 elections.
Lawyer Edwin Wawire Wafula moved to court accusing Salasya of attacking him on two different occasions within Kakamega for representing the alleged creditor, Robert Malenya Lutta.
The matter is before Resident Magistrate Gladys Kiama.
Lutta initiated legal proceedings against Salasya, by filing a case in the small claims court.
Soon after becoming MP, Salasya announced to the public the qualities he seeks in a wife.
“An educated lady between 23-26 years old. Not one who will keep checking on my phone because simu za wababa ziko na scandals mob (men's phones are full-on scandals),” he said.
“She should also be ready to stay in the village, akichunga (looking after the) constituency.”
Salasya stirred controversy in February when he made sexually derogatory remarks about Bomet Woman Rep Linet Chepkorir aka Toto.
Salasya bashed the Bomet Woman Representative for not respecting the Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
“… And those young people who are abusing Baba… There is one who was voted in but did not have any money like Peter Salasya. She is called Toto. I will go and impregnate her next week,” the MP said.
The MP would however apologise for sentiments and make peace with Toto.
In September, Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris came to the defence of Salasya after his viral interview on climate change awareness.
Passaris said the MP should not be judged by his lack of awareness on climate change matters but how he works for the Mumias East electorate.
She said Salasya is more focused on reviving the sugar sector in his region, an initiative that can create employment opportunities for his people.
“Unemployment being an issue among the youths some are not able to relate between it and climate change,” Passaris said.
The legislator came under fire over his poor grasp of climate change matters.
Salasya was among the elected leaders attending the Africa Climate Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
Only a month later, Salasya has caused another stir online.
The MP caused a frenzy on the Kenyan internet after he was captured eating raw termites.
Popularly referred to as 'kumbe kumbe', or 'Chiswa' among the Luhya people, the insects are usually fried or roasted for use as food. In some instances however, they are eaten raw.
The politician faced a backlash over what netizens are terming as village mentality.
In early November, Salasya was ranked alongside Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) and Naisula Lesuuda (SamburuWest) as top-performing young leaders in Kenya.
The poll released by Infotrak said Nyoro averaged a score of 70 per cent topping the list of the top 10 performing young MPs in 2023.
Igembe South MP Paul Mwirigi was ranked second at 66 per cent tying with Christopher Wangaya (Khwisero) and Salasya came in fourth with 64 per cent.