Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa wants the salaries and pensions of those involved in bipartisan talks to be withheld to recoup any public funds used to facilitate the process.

Speaking on TV47 on Monday, December 4, 2023, Barasa termed the recently concluded talks at the Bomas of Kenya as a complete waste of time and public resources.

The talks, which sought to bring to a consensus the warring factions of the opposition camp Azimio la Umoja and the government camp Kenya Kwanza, were led by Kalonzo Musyoka and National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah.

“If any public funds were spent to fund those discussions, the money should be recovered from their salaries. And those who are jobless, like Kalonzo Musyoka, the money should be recovered from their pension,” Barasa said.

After the bipartisan committee released its report a week ago, Azimio leader Raila Odinga said the country must have a referendum for Kenyans to endorse the recommendations in the report.

Barasa has, however, been critical of Raila’s call, saying the country is not ready to fund any referendum due to budgetary constraints and the workload that the Kenya Kwanza government has.

“Kenya is not ready to fund any referendum. If there is a discussion that we should entertain, it is a discussion on how we are going to lessen the cost of living, how we are going to reconstruct the economy that was punctured by the previous regime,” said the Kimilili MP.

Didmus Barasa: Cleophas Malala is the Harry Maguire of Kenya Kwanza

In October 2023, Barasa launched a scathing attack on UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, labeling him an opposition mole within the Kenya Kwanza government.

According to Barasa, the Kenya Kwanza administration is pushing forward in the right direction, while Malala is doing everything in his power to undermine it.

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Barasa went so far as to liken Malala to Manchester United defender Harry Maguire who has been victimized for repeatedly committing errors leading to goals or soring into his own net.

“I would compare him to a player from Manchester United who was, at one point, the leading goal scorer but was scoring in the wrong goal. Cleophas Malala and Harry Maguire, I don’t think there’s much difference,” he remarked