Bungoma County Government is once again under scrutiny over the alleged misuse of public funds after it emerged that KSh 3.6 million was spent on lighting a Christmas tree in September 2019, three months before the festive season.
The matter arose when Governor Ken Lusaka appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee on Monday, February 2, where senators demanded explanations over what they termed as irregular and questionable expenditure.
Committee chair Moses Kajwang expressed disbelief at the spending, noting that such expenditures undermine public confidence in devolution.
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“You spent KSh 3.6 million for a Christmas tree celebration? These are the things that make people feel like devolution is not working. We have seen house warmings costing millions, and now a Christmas celebration whose money has not even been recovered,” Kajwang said.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna questioned how Bungoma County could celebrate Christmas in September, pointing out that the imprest was taken months before December.
“The most surprising thing is that this imprest was taken in September, a whole three months before Christmas. These are some of the things that happen in counties that make some of us wonder,” Sifuna remarked.
In his defense, Governor Lusaka distanced himself from the expenditure, clarifying that the money was spent in 2019, at a time when he was not in office.
He urged the committee to direct responsibility to his predecessor, Wycliffe Wangamati, who served as Bungoma governor between 2017 and 2022.
“For the record, this expenditure was in 2019. I was not the governor then. I also need protection because the public may think I am the one responsible,” Lusaka told the committee.
While acknowledging that the spending occurred before Lusaka’s tenure, Senator Kajwang maintained that the current governor bears institutional responsibility and must ensure accountability.
Further raising concern, the Bungoma County Assembly denied approving such an expenditure, terming the transaction fraudulent. Members of the County Public Accounts Committee stated that Christmas celebrations are ordinarily held in December, not September.
Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli told the committee that he personally witnessed the September celebrations, describing them as a fully fledged ceremonial event complete with tents and Christmas hats.
“Some of us were alive then. It was a very ceremonial function at the governor’s office compound. It is very annoying that those who chewed this money continue to lecture Kenyans on prudence,” Wakoli said.
He called for the matter to be escalated to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for a comprehensive investigation into the expenditure.
The controversy adds to a growing list of financial scandals in Bungoma County, including the infamous wheelbarrow procurement saga, further intensifying calls for accountability and stricter oversight of county governments.