NAIROBI, Kenya- Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has criticised comedians Eddie Butita and YY alongside media personality Alex Mwakideu over their growing support for government development projects, accusing them of presenting Kenyans with an incomplete picture of the administration’s performance.
Salasya said the three personalities were free to support or criticise any government but challenged them to address the wider record of governance instead of concentrating on projects that attract positive publicity.
“My friends YY, Eddie Butita, Alex Mwakideu… You have suddenly found your voices when it comes to ‘showing projects’,” Salasya said.
“You are free to support or critique any administration. But do not insult the public’s intelligence by presenting half the picture and calling it courage.”
The MP argued that Kenyans were evaluating the government on more than completed buildings, ribbon-cutting ceremonies and organised tours of development projects.
He listed public debt, taxation, the cost of living, insecurity, service delivery, stalled projects, procurement concerns and unfulfilled political promises among the issues that should form part of any assessment of the administration.
“Kenyans are not passive spectators who can be impressed by ribbon-cuttings, shiny buildings and staged site visits,” Salasya said.
“They are citizens engaging with the full record of governance.”
Salasya urged the personalities to examine how government projects were financed, the amount of public money spent, their outcomes and the alternatives forgone through the administration’s policy decisions.
“If you want to discuss development, then discuss governance comprehensively, my friends,” he said.
“Put the achievements alongside the failures, the commitments alongside the implementation, and the publicity alongside the evidence.”
The lawmaker accused the personalities of helping the government manage political criticism by highlighting projects without addressing the challenges facing Kenyans.
“Do not reduce public accountability to a tour of projects that photograph well,” Salasya said.
“What you are doing is political damage control disguised as content.”
He maintained that Kenyans could distinguish between independent examination of government programmes and promotional content supporting the administration.
“Kenyans are capable of reading beyond the headlines. They know the difference between genuine public-interest analysis and government PR,” Salasya said.
