The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has opened a sweeping investigation into alleged misuse of public funds by the Bungoma County Government linked to a Sh3.6 million Christmas tree lighting event, in a probe triggered by concerns raised by the Senate Public Accounts Committee. The unfolding inquiry has exposed deeper allegations involving international benchmarking travel by county officials and assembly members, intensifying scrutiny on local government spending and accountability.
EACC’s action comes after senators flagged the contentious Christmas tree expenditure arising from reports in the Auditor-General’s report, suggesting that the costs were drawn from a fictitious imprest—a financial arrangement allegedly fabricated to justify the release of funds. The probe will extend to a benchmarking trip to Uganda by 22 members of the Bungoma County Assembly and select executives that reportedly cost taxpayers about Sh6.5 million in total.
Investigators have issued formal demands to the Bungoma County Secretary and Clerk of the County Assembly to produce original financial records, including approved budgets, requisition forms, imprest vouchers, cashbooks, and bank deposit slips associated with both the Christmas celebrations and the disputed benchmarking exercise. Personnel files of implicated officials, including sub-county and ward administrators as well as assembly staff from the period under review, have also been requested.
According to the EACC’s Western Regional Manager’s letters, signed on behalf of CEO Abdi Mohamud, the probe is examining whether public funds were improperly diverted for ceremonial and travel activities that offered little demonstrable benefit to the county’s residents. Officials are required to submit the relevant documentation to the commission’s offices by February 16, accelerating expectations for preliminary findings ahead of that deadline.
The Senate Public Accounts Committee referred the matter to the anti-graft body amid growing frustration over irregular county expenditures and repeated audit qualifications in financial reports. Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka was recently grilled by senators over separate municipal and water account irregularities, adding to the county’s fiscal spotlight.
Leave a Reply