A video of Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi receiving a crisp salute from uniformed police officers has set social media ablaze, with Kenyans divided over whether it was a sign of deep respect or just plain absurd.
The short clip, which has been making the rounds on Twitter and Facebook, shows Sudi arriving at an event where several police officers stand in formation, giving him a firm military-style salute.
Sudi, known for his controversial yet humorous takes on politics, acknowledged the officers with a handshake, looking rather pleased with the gesture.
While the video amused some, it also triggered a heated online debate. Was this a genuine show of appreciation, or were the officers playing to the whims of a politician?
Critics didn't hold back, arguing that law enforcement officers should not be seen saluting MPs who have no executive authority over them.
"This is madness! The police are supposed to serve the people, not act like they're in a presidential guard of honour for politicians," one outraged Twitter user wrote.
Another quipped, "Next, they'll be rolling out a red carpet and giving him a 21-gun salute!"
Others questioned whether the officers were given orders to salute or if it was just a case of political patronage at play. After all, it's not the first time Kenyan politicians have been treated like royalty by security forces.
On the flip side, Sudi's supporters saw nothing wrong with the salute.
"Oscar Sudi has done a lot for this community. The officers respect him, and that's why they saluted. What's the big deal?" one Facebook user countered.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time the outspoken MP has found himself at the centre of online chatter.
Just recently, he declared that his intelligence quotient (IQ) is higher than that of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, in response to Sifuna's remarks questioning how a PhD holder like President William Ruto associates closely with someone whose academic credentials have been under scrutiny.
