Just a day after Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Communications Director Philip Etale fired a response at Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya over his attack on the Orange Party Leader Raila Odinga, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has also hit out at the youthful lawmaker.
Taking to his official X account on Sunday, November 17, 2024, Kaluma claimed that it was wrong for Salasya to shift blame on Raila and his allies after failing to appear in parliament to perform his constitutional mandate of representation.
Kaluma on role of MPs
The ODM lawmaker argued that MPs are elected to represent their people in parliament.
However, Kaluma claimed that Salasya has failed to appear in parliament for contributions since elections, save for a few instances he has showed up.
“MPs are elected to represent the people in Parliament. It is wrong for brother Peter Kalerwa Salasya to fail to appear and contribute in Parliament since elections then seek to blame his lethargy and inadequacies on fellow MPs or Baba! Weed is not vegetable, omera!” Kaluma stated.
MPs are elected to represent the people in Parliament.
— Hon. George Peter Kaluma, CBS. MP. (@gpdkaluma) November 17, 2024
It is wrong for brother @pksalasya to fail to appear and contribute in Parliament since elections then seek to blame his lethargy and inadequacies on fellow MPs or Baba!
Weed is not vegetable, omera!
Kaluma’s statement comes a day after Etale questioned Salasya’s standing to question Raila after he, on Friday, November 15, 2024, reprimanded MPs for attempting to have their way on the Revenue Division Bill standoff.
Salasya’s attack on Raila
Salasya had stated that Raila was in cahoots with the county governors to ensure that counties get more resources from the national government.
Salasya also claimed that Raila was out to stifle the members of parliament’s role through the reduction of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) and Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) and reduce them to beggars.
“After him realising he could not auction independent-minded MPs like me to Ruto he wants CDF to go so that he can auction all of us to worship Ruto to beg for development in our regions,” Salasya said.
Raila’s remarks
Raila had called on the members of the National Assembly to consider going by the dictates of the constitution in the standoff on the division of Revenue Bill of 2024.
“The standoff and attempts to tamper with allocations are a dangerous backward march. I urge MPs to be enablers of devolution and refuse to be in partnership with those determined to frustrate and kill it,” Raila said.
Raila pointed fingers at the MPs, indicating that the legislators were overstepping their mandate by attempting to take over the Road Maintenance Levy funds on top of their CDF and NGAAF.
Whereas members of the National Assembly maintain the counties should receive a total budget of Ksh380 billion, the members of the Senate say the constitution puts the figure at Ksh400 billion.
