Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has made a startling claim that popular Luhya musician and contractor Steve Kay requested to be slapped in a bid to boost his social media visibility.
Speaking on a local podcast, the outspoken legislator alleged that the controversial altercation between him and Steve Kay captured on camera four years ago, was in fact scripted. According to Barasa, the musician approached him with the idea, believing that the publicity stunt would increase his TikTok and YouTube following and, by extension, his online revenue. “The slap was pre-arranged. Steve Kay came to me with the idea, saying it would help grow his viewership and following,” Barasa claimed during the podcast interview. “It was all for the cameras.”
The incident in question occurred at Lurare Primary School in Kamukuywa Ward, Bungoma County, where Barasa was presiding over the commissioning of five new classrooms funded by the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).However, the event took a dramatic turn when Steve Kay, who had reportedly overseen the construction, locked the classrooms and demanded payment of KSh 3.4 million before handing over the keys.
At the time, the incident drew widespread condemnation and raised questions about professionalism, public accountability, and the handling of government-funded projects. The new claims by the MP have now added a fresh twist to the saga.