Mumias East Member of Parliament, Peter Salasya, made a bold statement on Monday, January 20, during President William Ruto’s visit to his constituency, openly challenging the government’s handling of certain matters in the president’s presence.
Ruto was in Mumias for the historic commissioning of the first-ever bonus payments to sugarcane farmers, with notable figures such as Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Governor Fernandes Barasa, and Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi also in attendance.
Salasya seized the opportunity to voice his concerns, questioning the origins of the bonus funds being distributed to farmers.
“I want us to ask one thing, where is the money we are giving these farmers coming from? We need to know where it has come from because it was not in our budget,” Salasya remarked, before criticizing government systems he considered flawed.
He further called on the president to consider better allies, suggesting that some Kenya Kwanza leaders were offering the wrong advice.
The vocal MP did not hold back, alleging that cartels were undermining the government’s efforts.
He claimed that these forces were obstructing President Ruto’s legacy by providing false information on critical matters such as the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the new University funding model.
“There are cartels and traitors within your government who don’t want you to know the truth,” Salasya lamented, highlighting the struggles faced by ordinary Kenyans due to such systemic issues.
Salasya also brought up recent changes to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), urging the president to ease the financial burden on the public.
His candid remarks added to a growing list of criticisms directed at the current administration, with this not being the first time he has voiced dissatisfaction.
In response, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah defended the bonus payments, clarifying that the funds were sourced from the revenue generated in Mumias, emphasizing that lawmakers were involved in the allocation process.
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