Peter Salasya to face court next week over assault of man at funeral

Mumias East MP Peter Salasya during an interview with The Standard. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya will next week on Tuesday be arraigned.

This time, the legislator will be answering to an assault charge, after he was captured in a now-viral video clip physically assaulting a man at a funeral.

Salasya, who spent Friday night in police custody was released on a Sh50,000 cash bail.

In the video seen by The Standard, Salasya is heard repeatedly asking an unidentified person to sit down, as he was addressing mourners at a burial.

"Wewe enda kaa chini...enda kaa chini (loosely translated to; go sit...)," he says.

But like a bat out of hell, minutes later, the MP launches himself at the individual and can be seen landing a slap with one hand.

His behaviour has since sparked criticism online.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, joining the bandwagon, urged Kenyan voters to make more sober decisions in who they elect as their representatives.

"Our leaders have gone mad. From an MP shooting a DJ to another one shooting a man dead, to others pitting rival goons against each other, and now to this! Kenyan voters must seriously retrospect," wrote Khalwale.

X user @Big Homie wrote: "It is a shame that two youthful leaders are continuing with the old guard politics where violence and intimidation are peddled instead of tolerance and collaboration. I am urging the people of Mumias East to reconsider and pull their support from both these leaders if they cannot both make public statements and apologise."

But, it isn't Salasya's first rodeo.

Just two months ago, the first time MP was in another scuffle after he was attacked by goons while at a fundraiser in Kakamega County. Supporters of Governor Fernandes Barasa and those of Salasya clashed after the latter questioned Barasa's role in reviving Mumias Sugar.