You’re not qualified to be CS for Defence, MP Salasya tells Duale
A war of words has erupted between Member of Parliament for Mumias East Constituency, Peter Salasya, and Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, who was recently nominated for the position of Cabinet Secretary for Defence.
While Mr Duale is on record for rubbishing a statement Mr Salasya recently made in Parliament, the latter is of the view that CS nominee is not qualified to hold the powerful Cabinet docket.
The first-term MP has also said he will be the first person to question Mr Duale when he appears before the National Assembly for vetting.
“Aden Duale respect me please. You only shout in Parliament, nothing else. In fact you can bring more problems in our defense forces than the stability we are experiencing now in our country,” Salasya tweeted.
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“You’re not qualified to be the CS for Defence. And I’m telling you for free, I’ll be number one to ask you questions in Parliament,” Mr Salasya added.
The MP went on to ask the president to consider nominating someone else for Cabinet Secretary for Defence.
Mr Salasya made the remarks after Mr Duale appeared to cast aspersions at his maiden speech in Parliament on Wednesday, when the youthful legislator asked the government to connect his constituency with electricity so that his constituents can watch on TV as he debates in parliament.
“Most of the women in my constituency say they want to see me speak in Parliament. We need to get more transformers in the villages and improve access to electricity,” the MP as the House burst into laughter.
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But while reacting to the remarks, Mr Duale said it was unfortunate to have such a speech on the floor of the House.
“This is serious. Can’t be the August House. Mugu saidia,” Duale said.
Mr Salasya made the remarks in the backdrop of intensified plans by the government of Kenya, in collaboration with her French counterpart, to improve electricity connectivity through the Last Mile project. An estimated 80 per cent of Kenyans are connected to the electricity grid.
Mr Salasya was elected on an Independent ticket in the August 9 polls. He is reported to have been elected after convincing his constituents of his manifesto through a door-to-door campaign that included painting his names on poles other than printing and pinning posters.
He garnered 12,140 votes against his closest competitor Amani National Congress (ANC) David Wamatsi who scooped 9,043 votes. This is after the incumbent Benjamin Washiali decided not to contest after running for three terms.
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