Governor Faces Heat Over KSh5 Million Spent on Speaker’s Housewarming Party
Vihiga Governor Wilber Otichilo has come under intense scrutiny after it emerged that KSh5 million in county funds was used to finance a housewarming party for the county assembly speaker.
The issue was raised when the governor appeared before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee, where senators questioned the decision to spend public money on what they termed an extravagant and unnecessary event.
The revelations came to light during the committee’s sitting on Monday, January 26, as lawmakers examined how county resources were being utilised at a time when Vihiga County is facing serious challenges in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and service delivery.
Senators expressed concern that such spending reflected misplaced priorities by the county leadership.
According to the committee, the KSh5 million used for the housewarming was not authorised and was allegedly sourced through irregular borrowing.
Senators accused the county administration of misappropriating funds that were meant to pay contractors, noting that the money was borrowed specifically to bankroll the celebration.
Committee chairperson Moses Kajwang revealed that the county assembly had a history of borrowing funds, beginning with KSh35 million, followed by several other borrowings.
He disclosed that the most recent borrowing, made on December 15, 2023, involved KSh5 million that was used to fund the speaker’s housewarming and had not been repaid by the time of the hearing.
“The funds were borrowed and returned by the Vihiga Assembly before. The first borrowing was KSh35 million, but there were subsequent borrowings.
The last one, on December 15, 2023, was KSh5 million meant to finance the speaker’s housewarming, and it has not been repaid. Now the governor is effectively lending money for housewarming,” Kajwang stated.
Members of the committee questioned the justification for borrowing public funds for such a purpose.
They argued that even if borrowing was allowed, the money should have been used for legitimate assembly activities such as public participation forums, report writing, or the processing and approval of bills.
Senator Samson Cherargei challenged the rationale behind the expenditure, asking whether there were clear limits on how public money should be spent.
He warned that giving county officials too much financial freedom without strict oversight could lead to misuse of funds for personal or ceremonial events.
“There must be proper justification, even if it is a legal or official function. Is there a threshold on how public money should be used? Maybe we are giving them too much money until they decide to throw a housewarming party,” Cherargei remarked.
In his defence, Governor Otichilo explained that the request for funds originated from the assembly clerk and the speaker, who then approached the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of finance and economic planning.
He said the matter was presented to the county executive for approval before the funds were released, noting that both the assembly and the executive draw money from the same county revenue fund.
However, when senators demanded proof that all legal procedures were followed, the county executive was unable to produce documents or records to support the claim. This failure raised further doubts about whether due process was observed in releasing the funds.
The governor maintained that the event was an official government function, insisting that the unveiling of the speaker’s residence was treated as a formal ceremony. He also claimed that the money used was later reimbursed, a position that was strongly disputed by the committee.
“I do not know the documentation here, but what I know is that the function that took place at the speaker’s place was an official function. The money that was given was for the official opening of the speaker’s house. That is what I know,” Governor Otichilo told the senators.
The committee further revealed that the speaker’s house itself had raised audit concerns, with reports suggesting that the cost of its construction may have been exaggerated.
This added another layer of concern regarding the use of public resources linked to the project.
Senator Cherargei dismissed the spending as unjustifiable and called for the money to be refunded to the county. He stressed that public funds must be used strictly for the benefit of residents and not for private celebrations, regardless of the status of the individuals involved.
“This money is not justifiable. In my own opinion, this money should be refunded,” Cherargei said.
Following the heated exchange, senators directed Governor Otichilo to return to the committee with clear administrative actions taken against those responsible.
They noted that the governor struggled to adequately answer key questions, raising fears that critical decisions might be made without his full knowledge or that proper governance structures were being bypassed.
The committee also demanded that all individuals involved in the questionable transaction be charged.
During the same sitting, the committee raised another issue involving more than KSh1.9 million that was issued to county employees as salary advances between 2015 and 2017. It emerged that the money was never recovered.
As a result, the senators instructed the governor to surcharge the responsible accounting officers to recover the lost funds and ensure accountability.
The developments have intensified pressure on the Vihiga County administration, as senators continue to push for transparency, accountability, and responsible use of public funds.
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