- Since his election, the MP has been in the public glare for the wrong reasons including public spats.
- The youthful MP has a huge social media following and endears himself to the young generation.
Image: SCREENGRAB
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya is one of the few politicians in the country who like courting controversies in the full glare of the public.
From the moment he was sworn Salasya has been in the spotlight often for many reasons including being on the wrong side of the law.
His troubles are not just in the public.
The youthful first-term MP has interminably courted controversy inside Parliament as well.
Even with a string of controversies hanging around his neck, recent polls have ranked him among the top-performing young MPs.
Salasya was on Friday arrested over an assault claim on a Member of County Assembly in Kakamega.
However, he was released on Sh50,000 cash bail pending his arraignment on Tuesday, January 16.
In a statement, the police said he is likely to be charged with assault and causing actual bodily harm, a violation of section 251 of the penal code.
Additionally, he faces charges of creating disturbance in a manner that could lead to a breach of peace, under section 95 (1)(b) of the same code.
This follows an incident involving the discharge of firearms by his two bodyguards, who have since been disarmed.
Their firearms are currently undergoing ballistic analysis, according to police reports.
The incident occurred during a fracas at a funeral in Mumias on Friday, January 12.
Last year, the MP was accused of reportedly threatening to kill the magistrate who had ordered him to pay a businessman Ksh.500,000 that he owed.
Magistrate Gladys Kiama of the Kakamega Small Claims Court directed Salasya to pay Robert Lutta a Ksh.500,000 debt with interest and cost of the case.
The businessman filed a case challenging the legislator to pay the money he lent him on December 13, 2022, with the agreement that he would repay after two months.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) condemned the threats by Salasya and launched a probe into the matter.
In November 2023, Salasya was attacked and chased out of a church service at Bukaya Catholic Church in Mumias West Constituency by rowdy youths.
Salasya was midway through his speech when a man snatched the microphone from him to cut short his address.
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 2023 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.
The MP was also on the spot for shaming Senator Gloria Orwoba for wearing ‘period stained’ pants.
The nominated senator walked into parliament in ‘period stained’ pants in a bid to advocate for the end of period stigma.
Salasya tweeted unpublishable words.
Salasya also attacked Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja for lauding the senator’s boldness.