Mumias East MP Peter Salasya found himself in a tight spot on Tuesday after being accused of livestreaming parliamentary proceedings, an act that goes against House regulations. The matter was brought to the attention of Speaker Moses Wetang’ula by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah, leading to a tense moment in the National Assembly.
The session was already heated, as a power struggle ensued between Kenya Kwanza and the Azimio Coalition over who should assume the majority role in the House. This debate followed a February 7 High Court ruling that faulted Speaker Wetang’ula for initially declaring Kenya Kwanza the majority side. With tensions high, Azimio MPs, led by Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, took control of the majority leadership in accordance with the court’s decision.
During the chaotic proceedings, Salasya was caught livestreaming the debate from his seat at the back of the House. Kimani Ichung’wah, while contributing to the discussion, noticed this and promptly raised the issue with the Speaker. He emphasized that the Parliamentary Service Commission already provides live coverage of proceedings on national television, making personal livestreams unnecessary and inappropriate.
“On a matter of decorum of the House, I was just perusing what is going on on my phone, and I saw MP Salasya livestreaming the proceedings of the House,” Ichung’wah said. “He was recording himself from his seat at the back; the House under the Parliamentary Service Commission has given us live coverage on national TV, and we cannot belittle the work of this House through livestreaming on your phone.”
Ichung’wah called on the Speaker to take disciplinary action against Salasya, demanding that he apologize and remove the video from his social media platforms. Salasya, at first, denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was unaware of the allegations against him. However, Speaker Wetang’ula issued a stern warning, stating that if an investigation confirmed the livestreaming, he would refer the matter to the Powers and Privileges Committee for further action.
“If you did that, I want to guide you as a young member because I want you to grow in your leadership. The Bible says the greatest word in human relations is one word called sorry. If you did that, say sorry and delete, and we move on,” the Speaker advised.
Under mounting pressure, Salasya conceded, offering a formal apology and promising to delete the video from his social media platforms. “Mr. Speaker, I apologise, withdraw, and delete,” he said.
The Speaker then instructed the Clerk of the National Assembly to confirm that Salasya had indeed deleted the video, ensuring that the matter was put to rest. This incident serves as a reminder to legislators about the importance of observing parliamentary rules and maintaining decorum during House proceedings.
