Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has taken aim at ODM leader Raila Odinga’s recent remarks on devolution, humorously suggesting that the opposition chief’s position would amount to scrapping the Senate.

In a post on X on August 14, Salasya quipped, “Congratulations to Raila Odinga for supporting scrapping off the Senate. Sifuna and Olekina will be jobless,” referring to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina.

This comes after Raila told delegates at the 2025 Devolution Conference in Homa Bay that county assemblies, not the Senate, should oversee governors.

Raila argued that the Senate’s practice of summoning governors to Nairobi disrupts county operations, saying only specific committees such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Public Investments Committee (PIC) should deal with county officials — preferably chief executives rather than governors.

Debate over oversight roles

Raila’s comments have reignited debate over the constitutional roles of the Senate and county assemblies. The ODM leader said devolution should be deepened, not diluted, and called for stronger county executives matched with robust county assemblies to ensure effective oversight.

“I believe in devolution; I believe in more, not less, devolution. I believe in a balance of power between Nairobi and the counties. County governments are supposed to be overseen by county assemblies, not the Senate,” Raila said.

His stance has drawn mixed reactions, with some leaders supporting the push to keep oversight local, while others defend the Senate’s role in safeguarding county interests.

Long-running political feud

Salasya’s light-hearted jab also reflects a deeper political rift with ODM’s leadership. The Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) legislator has in recent months accused Raila and Sifuna of political betrayal, particularly over ODM’s engagement with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

On March 8, Salasya criticised Sifuna for endorsing a framework agreement between ODM and UDA, claiming the Nairobi Senator had misled Kenyans by initially opposing the move. He alleged that Sifuna was “sent by Raila to deceive Kenyans” before ultimately reading the memorandum of understanding.

Eye on 2027 politics

In a sign of his political ambitions, Salasya has endorsed Wilfred Bosire, chairman of Nairobi’s Matatu Crew Association, to challenge Sifuna for the Nairobi senatorial seat in 2027. He accused Sifuna of failing to hold Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja accountable and labelled him “a puppet of a political conman”.

The Ruto–Raila agreement, which seeks to address issues including devolution, corruption and youth livelihoods, has widened political fault lines. Salasya’s latest remarks, though delivered in jest, highlight the increasingly charged debate over the future of Kenya’s devolved governance.