Bungoma County Queried by Senate Over Sh3.6 Million Christmas Tree Spend

By : Mweru  Mbugua 

Bungoma County Government has come under renewed Senate scrutiny after auditors flagged an expenditure of Sh3.6 million on a Christmas tree lighting ceremony held in September 2019, alongside concerns over stalled works and defects at the Masinde Muliro Stadium

Appearing before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), county officials were pressed to explain why public funds were used for a Christmas-related event months before December and why the expenditure remained unaccounted for. CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang’ questioned the timing and propriety of the spending, saying any properly used funds should have been adequately documented

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna raised further concerns, noting that the imprest was reportedly drawn on September 9—about three months before Christmas—an inconsistency he said pointed to possible misuse of public funds. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei also challenged the justification, quipping that Christmas is traditionally celebrated in December

Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli told the committee the event was ceremonial, with participants wearing Christmas hats and tents erected at the governor’s office compound. Governor Ken Lusaka distanced himself from the issue, saying the expenditure related to 2019 and should not be attributed to him

However, Bungoma County Attorney Edward Waswa offered a different explanation, describing the spending as facilitation—an account Senator Sifuna said would be tested against documents submitted to the committee. Kajwang’ questioned the conflicting narratives, noting that the county secretary is the official custodian of records

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CPAC members criticised what they described as persistent wastage and theft in county governments and called for accountability. Kajwang’ said the matter should be referred to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for investigations

“This is unethical and unacceptable. It should go to EACC,” he said

Separately, senators also raised concerns over the Masinde Muliro Stadium project, which auditors say has stalled despite claims it is 95 per cent complete. A July 2025 inspection reportedly found the contractor absent from site for over a year and identified structural defects on the external fence, including a section near the VIP entrance bending outward and leaving a visible gap