Mumias East Member of Parliament, Peter Salasya, has proposed a system of government that he believes Kenya should adopt in the future.
In a candid interview with Kenyans.co.ke, the outspoken lawmaker suggested that Kenya should have a Prime Minister as the head of government and a monarch as the head of state.
"In most successful governments, we have a president who is ceremonial, and we have a prime minister who is elected by the members," Salasya explained.
While citing Morocco, Salasya observed that there was a need to restructure the government hierarchy to eradicate politics based on tribal lines.
He went on, "When the Gen Z were demonstrating, they did away with the Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) and brought in new ones. The CSs are simply mouthpieces. The ones with real power are the Permanent Secretaries (PSs).
"If we want to have a better Kenya and a futuristic country, we need to have the President serve in a ceremonial capacity. Let him visit Western Kenya, Rift Valley, and the Coast, and let people celebrate him. He should be a symbol of unity."
Asked whether he was referencing the UK system of government, Salasya affirmed, reiterating that it was the best way to keep counties accountable.
The UK government blends modern and historical elements through a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, with a King or Queen as head of state and a Prime Minister as head of government.
While the Prime Minister serves as the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons, there is also the House of Lords, comprising appointed members responsible for reviewing legislation.
"We can vote in this person (President), who will represent us abroad through PR. Then, when it comes to governance, Members of Parliament can vote in a Prime Minister. The system will run smoothly, and people will work," Salasya observed.
The youthful legislator, despite his outspoken nature, has earned plaudits, particularly from Kenyans, for his tendency to openly call out vices he believes are detrimental to the country.
During one of his more recent public tirades, Salasya openly lectured President William Ruto for some of Kenya Kwanza's shortcomings during the historic commissioning of the first-ever bonus payments to sugarcane farmers.
While criticising government systems he deemed flawed, Salasya urged President Ruto to seek better allies, accusing some Kenya Kwanza leaders of misadvising the Head of State.
In terms of performance, the MP was recently ranked among the best-performing lawmakers, according to the latest data from Infotrak.
Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Babu Owino, emerged top, scoring 72 per cent, while his Kiharu counterpart, Ndindi Nyoro, received a rating of 71 per cent, according to the Elected Leaders Performance Index released on Wednesday, 12 February.
The data further showed that Joseph Kalasinga (Kabuchai), Robert Mbui (Kathiani), John Waluke (Sirisia), Peter Salasya (Mumias East), and Gathoni Wamuchomba (Githunguri) were among the top five MPs of 2024.
