Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has unleashed a scathing critique of President William Ruto, accusing him of derailing what was expected to be a development-focused tour in Western Kenya.

The MP claims the president traded substance for spectacle, turning the visit into a campaign stage to attack political adversaries and resell his manifesto.

Speaking to a local TV station on the night of Thursday, January 23, 2025, Salasya expressed disappointment, claiming that the region gained nothing substantial from the president’s visit.

“What was happening there was just pure politics. Look at some of the areas the president visited,” Salasya remarked.

He further claimed that while the president toured sugarcane industries and announced bonuses for farmers, no consultations were made with key stakeholders from these industries. According to the MP, this lack of involvement casts doubt on whether the promises will ever be fulfilled.

Investor funds

The outspoken legislator argued that the funds Ruto claimed to have awarded as bonuses to farmers were not allocated in any budget. Instead, Salasya explained that the president was redirecting money meant for other purposes, such as investor contributions, to gain political mileage.

“Take Kakamega, for instance. The president was visiting Mumias and Mumias Sugar Company, announcing bonuses. Yet, he never consulted stakeholders. You can’t pickpocket a naked man. When asked where the money is coming from, he says it wasn’t passed through the budget. He claims it’s from the investor. But this is money the investor paid to KCB as rent or set aside for technological upgrades. It was just politics,” Salasya asserted.

Hot air projects

The MP also voiced his dissatisfaction with the president’s approach, arguing that it would leave the region worse off than before.

He criticized Ruto for diverting funds earmarked for industry development, which, according to Salasya, could destabilize sugar companies already struggling to regain stability.

Salasya accused the president of gaslighting the public by launching new projects instead of completing stalled ones.

He questioned the logic of announcing new road constructions when existing road projects remain unfinished.

“Look at the roads. We expected that when he came to Kakamega, he would focus on completing the stalled projects since taking office. Instead, they launched another road. Let’s finish what we’ve started before moving to something new,” the MP lamented.

Populism at play

Salasya went on to label President Ruto a populist politician, accusing him of using the visit to revive his declining popularity.

He claimed the president exploited the situation in Western Kenya to score political points rather than addressing the region’s genuine development needs.

“It was just a way to take advantage of the situation. It was pure politics and campaigning. When we talk about populism, these are the things we mean—leveraging situations for personal gain,” Salasya concluded.