Peter Kalerwa Salasya
The Honourable Peter Salasya | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Mumias East Constituency | |
| Assumed office 8 September 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Jomo Washiali |
| Constituency | Mumias East Constituency |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Peter Kalerwa Salasya 25 February 1989[1] Kakamega, Kenya |
| Citizenship | Kenya |
| Party | Democratic Action Party - Kenya |
| Education | Egerton University, Bachelor of Commerce, Banking and Finance |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Banker Tutor |
| Nickname | PK |
Peter Kalerwa Salasya (born 25 February 1989), also known as PK, is a Kenyan Politician and current member of parliament for Mumias East Constituency[2] He was elected in the 2022 Kenyan general election on the Democratic Action Party–Kenya (DAP-K) ticket.[3] Prior to entering politics, he worked in the banking sector and as a tutor. Salasya is known for his grassroots campaigns, his focus on reviving the Mumias Sugar Company, and for controversies related to assault and hate speech charges.
Early life and education
Salasya was born on January 15, 1989, in Kakamega County and is the last born in a family of seven children. He attended Shanderema Primary School in Kakamega (1997 to 2005) then he joined Lubinu Boys High School in 2006.[4] He lost his father, John Salasya, in his second year of high school.
In 2011, he joined Egerton University in Nakuru County for a bachelor's degree in commerce, banking, and finance, graduating in 2014.[1] This is where he became involved in university politics, from his first year, when he was unsuccessful in his bid for the position of Director of Academics and in his 3rd year, he vied for the Vice Chairperson position.[5][6]
Career
After finishing his degree at university, he went back to his home county, Kakamega, where he was employed (2014 to 2015) as a salesperson at Bufalo Bicycle. He was a tutor at Sigalagala National Polytechnic (2015 to 2016) then later secured employment at Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) as an operations officer and as a cashier before resigning to pursue a career in politics.[7][8]
Political career
Salasya first contested for the Mumias East Member of Parliament, finishing last in a field of nine candidates with 254 votes. During the campaign, he used a handcart pushed by supporters for transportation.[9]
He was successfully elected in the 2022 Kenyan general election[10] as the DAP-K candidate, defeating opponents from the ANC and ODM, among others.[11] His campaign focused on the revival of the Mumias Sugar Company[12] and was noted for its door-to-door strategy and support from then-Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.[13]
Legal issues
Assault
On January 12, 2024, a video showed Salasya physically assaulting the Member of County Assembly (MCA), Peter Walunya Indimuli, during a funeral service in Mumias East, Kakamega County.[14] According to reports, the altercation started when Indimuli requested Salasya to respect the family in his remarks.[15] Salasya was arrested in Mumias on charges of assault and causing grievous bodily harm. He denied the charges, and he was released on bond but later missed court for his mention, citing he was sick and admitted to Aga Khan Hospital.[16] The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) summoned the MP over the assault to record a statement on the incident.[17][18][19]
Hate speech
Salasya was arrested and charged before a Nairobi court with hate speech. He was accused of inciting ethnic tension between the Luo and Luhya communities by a post he made on X (formerly Twitter) on May 10, 2025.[20][21] His charge was an offense contrary to section 12(1)(b) and section 13(2) of the National Cohesion and Integration (NCIC) Act of 2008[22] and released on bail. In June 2025, he requested that the matter be settled out of court. As of September 2025, the case was still pending, with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) granted time to review the application before the next scheduled hearing in October 2025.[23][24] In October, the magistrate forwarded the file to NCIC for assessment and recommendations after the prosecution said the commission needed time to evaluate the case.[25][26]
On November 11, 2025, the magistrate directed that the case proceed to a full hearing after efforts to resolve the matter through the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) stalled due to the expiry of the commissioners’ term. [27] The case was scheduled for hearing on January 17, 2026, when the prosecution informed the court that the parties had reached an agreement to settle the matter through the commission’s conciliation mechanism. The magistrate declined to allow the withdrawal of the case, citing non-compliance with key conditions of the agreement.[28] The court ordered that the matter be mentioned on February 2, 2026, to consider adoption of the agreement after verifying compliance. As part of the proposed settlement, Salasya was required to run a social media campaign advocating for peace.[29][30][31]
References
- ^ "Peter Salasya". X. 25 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ "Little known 32-year-old Peter Salasya floors Washiali preferred successor". Daily Nation. 2022-08-13. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "32-Year-Old Without 'House' Elected MP - Kenyans.co.ke". www.kenyans.co.ke. 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Peter Salasya's Biography: Unfiltered MP who rose from hawking to seats of power | Pulselive Kenya". www.pulselive.co.ke. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Profile: Who is Mumias East MP Peter Salasya?". Citizen Digital. 2023-09-06. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Peter Salasya Profile: Age, Education, Career, Family". 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Mercy (2025-04-14). "Peter Salasya: The Unconventional MP Shaking Up Kenya's Political Scene". Nyakundi Report. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "MP Salasya: While at university, I aspired to become a pastor". Nairobi News. 2024-04-07. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "I lacked campaign money but social media helped me – Salasya". The Star. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Staff, Al Jazeera. "Kenya 2022 election results by the numbers". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "32-Year-Old Without 'House' Elected MP - Kenyans.co.ke". www.kenyans.co.ke. 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Fall of Mumias sugar made me run for office - MP Salasya". The Star. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Little known 32-year-old Peter Salasya floors Washiali preferred successor". Daily Nation. 2022-08-13. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Salasya Blocks Followers On Social Media After Slapping MCA". 2024-01-14. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ GROUP, NTV KENYA-NATION MEDIA. "NTV Kenya: Mumias East MP Peter Salasya arrested for assaulting MCA Peter Walunya at a burial in Mumias". NTV Kenya. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "MP Salasya charged with assault, released on Sh50,000 bond". The Star. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "EACC summons MP Peter Salasya over assault on Kakamega MCA". Citizen Digital. 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Mumias East MP Peter Salasya Arrested After Attacking Politician at Funeral - Kenyans.co.ke". www.kenyans.co.ke. 2024-01-13. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ "Peter Salasya Arrested After Assaulting Kakamega MCA". 2024-01-13. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ^ Kubwa, Carolyne (2025-05-19). "Mumias East MP Peter Salasya faces court after highway arrest over alleged incitement". The Eastleigh Voice News. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "MP Peter Salasya arrested, brought before court over alleged hate speech". Daily Nation. 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "MP Peter Salasya arrested, brought before court over alleged hate speech". Daily Nation. 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Salasya pushes for out-of-court resolution in hate speech case". The Star. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "MP Salasya freed on Ksh.200,000 bail in hate speech case". Citizen Digital. 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Court Refers MP Peter Salasya's Hate Speech Case to NCIC for Review". LawGuide. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ MWANGI, IRENE (2025-10-08). "Hate speech case against MP Salasya referred to NCIC for review". Capital News. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ Kubwa, Carolyne (2025-11-11). "Salasya hate speech case to proceed after NCIC mediation collapses". The Eastleigh Voice News. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ "Court postpones adopting out-of-court settlement in MP Salasya's hate speech case". Citizen Digital. 2026-01-19. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ "Salasya Launches Nationwide Peace Initiative Following Court-Ordered Apology - Kenyans.co.ke". www.kenyans.co.ke. 2026-01-19. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ WAKAYA, JEREMIAH (2026-01-19). "Salasya to lead online peace campaign in hate speech case deal". Capital News. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ Gitonga, Nancy. "Court orders MP Salasya to apologize, run peace campaign before hate speech case withdrawal". The Standard. Retrieved 2026-01-24.