Kaluma Breaks Silence Over Remarks on Millie Odhiambo

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has broken his silence over remarks he made to Suba South MP Millie Odhiambo during a parliamentary debate on surrogacy, after an old exchange between the two resurfaced online.

Kaluma said the proceedings, which took place last year during debate on the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill, had been republished without the wider context of the debate, creating an impression that his intervention had prevented Odhiambo from having a child through surrogacy.

In a post responding to the resurfaced clip, Kaluma explained that his amendments to the Bill were intended to address provisions he considered problematic, arguing that Parliament should make laws with future generations in mind.

“Laws are made for posterity,” Kaluma said.

Maintaining that Parliament should not allow what he considers wrong provisions to pass simply because of the circumstances surrounding an individual debate.

What happened in Parliament

The exchange took place as MPs debated the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill, which included provisions on assisted reproduction and surrogacy.

During the sitting, Odhiambo, who was serving as Minority Whip, expressed frustration over what she described as filibustering during the debate.

“Madam Speaker, I am Minority Whip, and as Minority Whip, I try to be a good girl. But the fire in me, as the bad girl, still burns, and it will come out if we continue,” Odhiambo said.

She further told the Speaker that she did not like the delaying tactics she was witnessing during the proceedings.

Kaluma responded by asking whether Odhiambo was directing her remarks at him.

 “But nobody stops you from getting children even by now,” he told her.

In his response to the resurfaced clip, Kaluma said the exchange could not be fairly understood without considering the wider debate and the amendments he had proposed to the Bill.

Also Read: LSK Moves to Take Disciplinary Action Against MPs Kaguchia and Kaluma

He maintained that his amendments did not prevent Odhiambo, or anyone else, from pursuing surrogacy, noting that the practice was not prohibited in Kenya at the time.

Kaluma also cited fellow MP Shabir, whom he said had confirmed having children through surrogacy while Parliament was still considering the legislation.

Reactions to Kaluma’s Post

Kaluma’s post explaining his position also drew reactions from social media users.

One commenter questioned his reference to his reputation, asking: “Which reputation?”

Another brought up a separate controversy involving the MP, writing.

“Your reputation was tainted long ago, since Russians taught you a lesson,” another brought up a separate controversy involving the MP’s writing.

The comments followed Kaluma’s post in which he accused those behind the republication of acting maliciously and defamatorily and demanded that the material be retracted.

Also Read: Peter Kaluma: Education, Legal Career and Political Journey

He maintained that the parliamentary exchange had been taken out of context and warned that he could pursue legal action if an apology and retraction were not issued.

The renewed attention has therefore shifted the focus from the original exchange in Parliament to Kaluma’s objection to how the year-old proceedings have now been presented online.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates

The Parliament of Kenya. PHOTO/Parliament