Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has threatened legal action over the republication of a viral video showing a heated exchange between him and Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo.
The video, from a parliamentary debate on the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill, captures Kaluma telling Odhiambo that, 'Nobody stops you from getting children, even now,' after the Suba North MP raised concerns over delays in the passage of the Bill.
In a statement on Friday, August 28, Kaluma responded to the recirculation of the clip, saying the video had been republished without context of the debate.
"These proceedings took place last year. Parliament was debating the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill in which Hon. Millie Odhiambo proposed surrogacy for those who can’t conceive naturally. I brought amendments to the Bill, all of which were passed by Parliament.
"On this day, Hon. Millie had claimed that my amendments proposals had delayed and stopped her from getting a child through surrogacy. I responded that laws are made for posterity and that Parliament shouldn’t allow wrong provisions to pass," he said.
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Kaluma said he also sought to explain that surrogacy was not prohibited in Kenya at the time, arguing that Odhiambo could still pursue the option even as the Bill was under consideration.
"I also told Millie that nothing stopped her from having a child even now as surrogacy is not prohibited in Kenya, giving the example of Hon. Shabir who had confirmed begetting children through the process even as the Bill was still being considered," he added.
Kaluma accused those republishing the video of presenting the exchange in a misleading manner by omitting the context surrounding the debate.
"It is malicious and defamatory to republish this parliamentary engagement over a year later without providing this context. This has damaged and continues to damage my reputation," he further said.
Kaluma demanded that the video be retracted and that an apology be issued, warning that failure to do so could result in a defamation suit.
"Please retract this and apologise, or face legal action for defamation," he concluded.
Elsewhere, this comes weeks after Mount Elgon MP Fred Kapondi threatened to take legal action against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over allegations linking him to the killing of former Councillor Nathan Wasama.
Wasama, 61, was shot dead on the night of Saturday, August 8, at his shop in Tuikut Trading Centre, Cheptais, Bungoma County.
Speaking on Wednesday, August 12, Gachagua claimed that following his public disclosure of the matter, security officers went to Kapondi’s residence and recovered 18 guns and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition.
Kapondi rejected Gachagua’s allegations and said he would pursue legal action, insisting that the former Deputy President must provide evidence to support his claims.
"I will sue him because he is not above the law. The way he has been spreading his nonsense and very wild allegations, I will not let him go; I will take legal action. He must come and explain where these 18 guns are," he said in a presser on Thursday, August 13.
Kapondi also questioned why investigators handling the matter had not publicly challenged Gachagua’s claims, arguing that the allegations should not have been made without clarification from authorities.
"How can the investigators conducting the investigation allow the former Deputy President to make wild allegations without them refuting them?" he posed.
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