On Tuesday, a dramatic exchange occurred in Parliament after Mumias East MP Peter Salasya was accused of violating standing orders by live-recording the House proceedings on his mobile phone.
The issue was raised by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa, who alleged that Salasya had recorded himself during the session whilst making inappropriate remarks, in violation of parliamentary regulations. Ichung’wa called for the MP to recognize his actions and to apologize.
“Regarding the decorum of the House, I witnessed Salasya livestreaming the proceedings and filming himself from a rear seat. The House and the Parliamentary Service Commission offer live TV coverage, and we must not undermine this institution with such rude behavior. He was making very distasteful remarks on live media, and we need you to demand that he remove those recordings and apologize to the House,” Ichung’wa declared.
His comments sparked a fierce exchange between Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Salasya, who categorically refuted the claims.
“Are you livestreaming the proceedings and making distasteful comments in the process?” Wetang’ula questioned.
Salasya replied, “Have I been staying here most of the time without being given time?”
Still not convinced, the Speaker probed further: “Is what’s being said correct?”
“I don’t understand what he means, as I don’t manage my social media accounts. “I wanted to have my own contributions,” Salasya argued.
A visibly frustrated Wetang’ula implored the MP to be honest, cautioning that the House might seek access to his phone records or refer his case to the parliamentary disciplinary committee.
Salasya replied without showing any concern, “I don’t understand what he’s saying, but perhaps I could go and verify what he’s saying.”
After the intense dispute, the Speaker instructed the Clerk to acquire Salasya’s mobile device for confirmation.
As the proceedings unfolded, the MP known for his controversial stances ridiculed the debate aimed at determining Parliament’s rightful Majority and Minority while broadcasting live on his Instagram account.
