Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has opened up about his humble beginnings and the challenges he faced before he became a legislator.
In an emotional post on his Instagram on Saturday, September 21, 2024, Salasya reflected on the difficulties of coming from a poor background and the ridicule he faced during his journey to Parliament.
The lawmaker revealed that his political opponents used to mock him, calling him a “madman” destined for a mental hospital.
“Mukiniona all the time am happy is because how this journey to MP was crazy 🤪 this was 2021 April, no wonder my opponents used to call me a madman awaiting Mathare hospital,” Salasya recalled.
Despite the challenges, Salasya said he remained determined, attributing his success to faith and hard work. He emphasized that putting God first and maintaining a strong work ethic were key to overcoming life’s difficulties.
“I will never stress myself with life as long as you put God first and work hard towards it,” he said.
Salasya also highlighted the numerous political parties he considered before settling with the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K). He shared that he had explored running with various political outfits, including ODM, KANU, and UDP, but eventually decided to go independent before aligning himself with DAP-K.
“Within one year, I was in more than three parties—independent, ODM, KANU, UDP—then I refused and finally ran with DAP-K Party,” Salasya explained.
The lawmaker also recalled a moment when he was travelling from Kakamega to Nairobi with only Ksh600. In the post showcasing him holding campaign fliers, he shared how this experience on River Road reminded him of how far he had come.
Salasya arrested
Salasya recently reflected on the events leading up to his election in the 2022 general elections.
In a post on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, Salasya shared a photo of himself with his lawyer and other individuals outside a police station, recalling how he was released just one month before he became a Member of Parliament. He explained that he had been arrested for standing up for farmers in his constituency.
“This was exactly one month before I became Member of Parliament for Mumias East Constituency,” Salasya shared.
He described how his lawyer, Ken Echesa, had secured his release from Mumias Police Station, where he had been held on what he described as false charges. Salasya said the charges stemmed from his efforts to defend local farmers.
“With my lawyer Ken Echesa, who had just secured my release from Mumias Police station where I had been detained for trumped-up charges of inciting farmers against West Kenya,” Salasya stated.
