Jalango says his current salary is half of what he was earning as radio presenter
Longata MP Jalang’o claims that the amount he is currently paid is around half of what he was previously paid as a radio personality and event host.
In an interview with NTV, Jalas stated that if it had been about the money, he would have stayed in the media and continued promoting campaigns. Instead, he decided to enter politics in order to serve the people.
To be a leader, he continued, one must stand up for the people who elected them without showing any signs of avarice or self-interest.
“If you join politics to make money you will suffer. Greed does not apply here. When I was in media I earned more than what I am getting now and it was for my own use.
“People say it’s a Sh1million but after tax that is around 820,000 which is roughly half of what I was making as a radio host,” he said.
Adding: “At the moment my salary has to cater to different needs of my constituents…there’s a funeral here, school fees there…it needs a lot of grace and goodwill.”
Jalas was elected on the platform of the ODM party, however his party disapproves of him collaborating with President Ruto as of late.
The MP was expelled from the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Parliamentary Group meeting in Machakos County’s Maanzoni Lodge in February of this year.
The opposition MPs were gathering to discuss how to rein in Ruto’s administration and deal with party sanitation issues.
A group of MPs and senators from Azimio opposed Jalang’o and demanded that he go after accusing him of betraying ODM.
However, the former radio personality insists that he hasn’t left the party and that he has always stood up for it and its leader Raila Odinga.
“I have not abandoned ODM. I thank the party and party leader Raila Odinga for the chance I was given. I have been working with the current government and it all started when we went to State House for a sit-down with the President.
“I got a call from the President since he had just launched affordable housing in my constituency. After the meeting, the photos went viral and everyone assumed that we had ditched the party,” he said.
Jalas said he has since been excluded from all official communication channels of the party and feels like an orphan.
“It hurts because I feel like an orphan. I did not think it would get to this point but all this is happening because I am working with the president.
“I have talked to Baba so many times. I love and respect him but after the State House visit, most people do not want me near him. They look at me as a traitor,” he added.
Jalas also claimed that a number of ODM politicians would like to work with the President but they cannot come out in the open due to fear.
“Many ODM politicians would like to work with the president but they cannot do it publicly. Some just want to be seen on TV to appear loyal to the party.
“I am not like that. In Langata I am working with the people. In 2027 I will give them my scorecard. The voters will decide whether I will get a second term,” he remarked.
