Passaris Explains Why MP Salasya Said He Doesn't Care About Climate Change

Nairobi Women Representative, Esther Passaris, came to the rescue of Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya, who was heavily criticised after affirming that he was not elected to push for climate change.

Salasya, in a video that was shared widely, was captured on Monday, September 4 struggling to explain what climate change is and what the three-day inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) currently ongoing at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) was all about.

The summit being hosted by President William Ruto is expected to look into ways of helping African countries vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change cope with the same. 

A photo of Mumias East MP, Peter Salasya, outside Parliament. /PETER SALASYA

"By the way, climate change is real because of global warming. I think I was in Mombasa last week, and it was so cold. So, I asked them what was not happening. They told me that the sun was getting hotter and ice was melting," Salaysa, who was part of the Kenyan lawmakers attending the event, jumbled. 

He later tweeted that he had travelled to Kisumu alongside his fellow lawmakers to deal with the thorny issue of sugar in Kenya's sugar industry, a matter he believed was more of a priority than climate change.

"Currently in Kisumu with my fellow MPs to deliberate on matters of sugar in the country. Mambo na #climate am not privy to it.

"I leave it to scientists and expertise. Watu wafwate maagizo being given at KICC. (I am not privy to climate change effects. Let's follow scientists' advice)," he stated.

In an interview with NTV on Wednesday, September 6, Passaris however related to Salasya's comments given that he represents a constituency that has been in the hot seat recently regarding the fate of government-backed sugar companies.

She added that some Kenyans considered their immediate basic needs more than issues such as climate change, and even though she took note of the significance of mitigating climate effects, she argued that the Kenyans did not see any relationship between climate change and issues such as unemployment.

“I can relate to where he came from. Mumias, the area he represents, are cane farmers and their issues have more to do with the management of institutions rather than the climate effect on their crop. On the other hand, unemployment is a big issue for most of our youth, and when they are dealing with that, they are not able to relate unemployment to climate change,” Passaris weighed in.

“We have to understand that as an MP, the citizens who voted for him are more concerned with maybe housing, medical facilities, bursaries or jobs.”

Walking back on the significance of tackling climate change, the woman representative blamed climate change as the cause of several challenges facing Kenyans as of now.

She added that the effects of climate change were triggering health complications, scarcity of food due to longer periods of drought and floods, and increased housing expenses to cope with fluctuating temperatures.

“Every leader relates to these citizens based on their needs, but the fact is that everything is interconnected with climate change. [Salasya] is a man connected with his constituents; he is who he is and they love and respect him.

"Eventually, he will realise how they are all connected and he will join the conversation,” Passaris added.

Global warming refers to the rise in global temperatures due mainly to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Climate change refers to the increasing changes in the measures of climate over a long period of time, including precipitation, temperature, and wind patterns.

The ongoing ACS Summit will also serve as a platform to inform, frame, and influence commitments, pledges, and outcomes, ultimately leading to the development of the Nairobi Declaration.

Speaking during the opening of the summit, President Ruto said that it's time for Africa to be part of the solution to global warming, rather than a victim.