Salasya slams Gachagua over North Eastern remarks, questions his record as DP
By Mustafa Juma, January 24, 2026Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya has launched a scathing attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of engaging in divisive politics and challenging his record on development in the North Eastern region during his time in office.
Taking to his official X account on the night of Saturday, January 24, 2026, Salasya questioned how many affirmative action programmes Gachagua pushed for the people of North Eastern Kenya while serving as Deputy President and overseeing the Ministry of Special Programmes.
He also asked how often Gachagua visited the region during his two-year tenure in the country’s second-highest office.
“When you were deputy president, Sir H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH, for two years, how many affirmative action programmes did you push and rally to be done by the government of Kenya for the people of North Eastern because the Ministry of Special Programmes was headed by you? How many times did you visit the northeastern region when you were deputy president?” Salasya stated.
Damage control
Salasya went ahead to claim that recent comments by Gachagua amount to “damage control” following what he described as attacks on Somali children, arguing that such remarks undermine national cohesion.
He urged the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader to abandon tribal politics and instead focus on inclusive leadership that addresses historical marginalisation.
He further challenged Gachagua on accountability, asking whether he took action to address alleged misuse of development funds by leaders in the North Eastern region.
Lack of action
Salasya said that if such concerns were known, the Deputy President’s office should have engaged relevant oversight bodies, including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), to take action.
“I know you are trying to do damage control over your tribal politics after attacking Somali children. If indeed you are a true leader when you were deputy president and as a leader who is responsible, after realising that Northern Eastern leaders eat money meant for development in your position, did you address this matter for relevant government bodies like the EACC to take necessary action on those leaders?” Salasya questioned.
He further appealed to the national government to implement affirmative action measures to address persistent challenges in the region, including water shortages, limited electricity coverage, and poor road infrastructure.
“I am urging the gvt to take affirmative action on water shortages, electricity and roads because in North eastern one constituency is like the entire Nyeri County,” he stated.
Gachagua’s North Eastern remarks
Salasya’s remarks follow Gachagua’s recent appeal over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Mandera and other parts of Northern Kenya, describing the conditions facing women and children as “inhuman and degrading” as prolonged drought continues to ravage the region.
In his X statement on Friday, January 23, 2025, the DCP leader said he was overwhelmed by information and evidence emerging from the area, detailing daily misery endured by vulnerable families who lack food, water, and necessities, hours after he was interviewed by Northern Kenya radio stations at his Karen residency on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
He called on Kenyans from all walks of life to stand in solidarity with communities in Northern Kenya, insisting that their plight should not be treated as a regional issue but a national responsibility.