The National Assembly took action to stop the auction of a Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle jointly owned by Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya.
On Thursday afternoon last week, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula filed a petition at the Kakamega Small Claims Court, expressing concern over a court decree that permits the auction of the vehicle due to a Kes.500,000 debt owed by the MP. The Assembly noted it is not a party to this debt.
Wetang’ula, represented by lawyer Andrew Emacar, explained that the first-time MP had used the vehicle’s logbook as collateral for a loan obtained from his employer. The vehicle remains jointly owned until the loan is fully repaid.
“Given the National Assembly’s interest in the proclaimed vehicle, registration number KDK 037L, it is evident that the Assembly stands to suffer prejudice if the vehicle is sold to satisfy the decree,” stated Serah Kioko, the Deputy Clerk of the Assembly, in an affidavit on behalf of the Speaker.
“Peter Salasya was advanced a loan of Kes.4.2 million, of which Kes.2,789,317 remains outstanding. He has not paid the full amount and is therefore a mere bailee. In the interest of justice, the claimant (Robert Lutta) should be prevented from proceeding with the sale of the vehicle. The attachment of the vehicle should be lifted immediately, and the vehicle released to the National Assembly.”
The Kakamega court had seized Salasya’s car after businessman Lutta initiated the process to enforce a judgment from November last year.
The court had ordered the MP to pay Lutta Kes.500,000 plus interest. The judgment found that Salasya had borrowed the sum from the businessman on December 13, 2022, and had refused to repay it, thus accruing interest.
