Heated exchange as MP Salasya, Echesa clash in Mumias rally

A heated altercation ensued between Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya and Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rachid Echesa at Shianda market in Kakamega County on Sunday.

According to a video of the incident seen by the Star, the former Sports CS was addressing locals on various issues of national importance when a vehicle carrying the first-term MP made a stop next to where Echesa was addressing from.

Echesa was addressing locals on recent development projects launched by President William Ruto during his last Western tour.

The ex-Sports CS affirmed that all development projects the President commissioned would be completed.

After the vehicle carrying the Mumias East made a stop, Salasya exited immediately and walked towards Echesa, pointing fingers at him.

Salasya would later be seen heckling the former CS while at the same time pointing fingers at him.

Echesa was later heard telling the MP that he would not be scared of him even as he began pointing fingers at him.

“I serve in the government of Kenya, my friend; respect me,” Echesa was heard telling him.

And as the exchange of words continued, the crowd was heard murmuring with one camp urging Echesa to carry on with his address.

Reacting to the incident, both Echesa and Salasya took to their respective social media handles to criticize each other.

The lawmaker, in his statement, downplayed Echesa's political dominance in the region, adding that he was no longer intimidated by him.

“I used to grow fearing Echesa. The fear has gone. Next he won't believe it,” Echesa wrote on his Facebook page.

The former CS, on the other hand, urged the MP to heed the wishes of the public, saying the locals had demanded that he address them.

"The people of Shianda Market demanded to hear from me, but instead of respecting their voices, their own MP, Hon. Salasya, chose to interrupt and cause chaos,'' Echesa stated on his Facebook page.

"Leadership is about listening and serving the people—not silencing them. It’s time to style up and put the people first!"

The altercation comes amid calls for political tolerance by political leaders and their supporters across the country ahead of the 2027 General Elections.