Nairobi woman representative Esther Passaris has defended Mumias East MP Peter Salasya’s recent comments about climate change that have sparked debate about political leaders’ grasp of continental challenges.
The MP on Monday caused a stir when he gave an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, in which he was at pains to explain what climate change is and what the three-day convention is all about.
In a Wednesday morning interview with NTV, Passaris termed Salasya’s comments relatable, saying the legislator is more concerned with his electorate’s burning needs.
“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 said.
“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.”
After backlash, Salasya on Tuesday said he was no environmentalist or geographer and that he had tried his best to explain climate change in layman’s language. The MP said he was not elected to speak on climate change but to serve Kenyans.
Passaris however noted a correlation between the issues Kenyans are grappling with and climate change. She said Kenyans should give Salasya time before he eventually understands the connection, terming him a man dedicated to his people.
“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 said.
The Africa Climate Summit kicked off on Monday and runs until Wednesday. It is themed “Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World.”
The convention was organized by the African Union Commission in collaboration with the Kenyan government to give African nations the chance to develop specific plans, design corresponding resources and investments, push for changes in the global financial system, share knowledge and workable solutions, and update Africa’s development and climate vision.
On Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates announced $4.5 billion (Ksh.656,400,000,000) in clean energy investments in Africa.
The three-day summit has attracted heads of state, government and industry, including leaders from Mozambique and Tanzania, as well as United Nations head Antonio Guterres, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and US climate envoy John Kerry.
