Governor Lusaka on EACC's radar over Sh3.6 million Christmas tree
Western
By
Ronald Kipruto
| Feb 12, 2026
An aerial view of Bungoma town as at July 2019. [File, Standard]
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched a probe into the misuse of Sh3.7 million for Christmas tree lighting by the Bungoma County government.
The Senate Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) invited EACC to investigate the matter after it was highlighted in the Auditor General’s report which revealed that the Sh3,689,000 was spent at the end of September 2019.
The Standard has seen a letter from the EACC addressed to the County Secretary and the Clerk of the County Assembly informing them that the commission was investigating the allegations.
The communication was made two days ago.
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At the same time, EACC is investigating a benchmarking trip where 22 members of the County Assembly travelled to Uganda at a cost of Sh6.5 million.
In the letter, Western Regional Manager, who signed on behalf of CEO Abdi Mohamud, ordered the officials to also avail the original documents related to the benchmarking trip and Christmas celebrations.
These include requisitions, budgets, imprest warrants and cashbooks, bank deposits, and the personal files of implicated officials mainly the MCAs who went on the trip.
CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang had questioned why the county used an unexplained Sh3.6 million three months before December of the year under review.
“So you spent Sh3.6 million for the Christmas tree celebration? Using Sh3.6 million for Christmas tree lighting in September? And it remains unaccounted for. If the money was drawn and used, it should not have come here,” Kajwang’ said.
During the session, Governor Ken Lusaka distanced himself from the audit query, telling the committee the expenditure related to 2019 and urged members not to attribute it to him.
“Chair, just for the record, I know the media will say it is me. It is in 2019,” said Lusaka.