Catholic bishops return 2.8M donation from president William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johson Sakaja saying that those donations is a way of politicizing the church.
The Archdiocese of Nairobi has reaffirmed its commitment to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (KCCB) policy on political donations.
In a statement released on November 14, 2024, and shared in all churches on Sunday, November 17, 2024, the KCCB highlighted the need to keep the Church independent, sacred, and free from ethical concerns tied to political contributions.
Archbishop Philip A. Anyolo, speaking on behalf of the Archdiocese, firmly stated that the Church is not a platform for political purposes.
On November 17, 2024, the Archdiocese rejected several donations made at Soweto Catholic Church, following KCCB guidelines and the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill 2024.
These included Ksh. 200,000 from the Governor of Nairobi and Ksh. 600,000 from the President for parish projects, as well as Ksh. 2 million from President Ruto for the Fathers’ House construction.
The bishops also turned down a Ksh. 3 million pledge for further construction and a parish bus donation. Any funds already received against these rules will be returned to the donors.
Don’t use the church
Archbishop Anyolo urged politicians to avoid using church services as platforms for political speeches, saying it undermines the sacredness of worship spaces.
He reminded leaders that the Church’s role is to guide the community and remain free from outside influence or unethical practices.
The Archbishop also called on politicians to focus on important issues affecting Kenyans, such as corruption, human rights, high taxes, and unfulfilled promises.
He encouraged them to prioritize the needs of the people who elected them over personal political ambitions.
You can still attend the church services
Even so, While welcoming politicians to attend services for spiritual growth, he stressed that they should come as ordinary worshippers, not seeking to promote their own agendas.
The Archbishop further, reaffirmed that the Church should always be a place of prayer, peace, and community, free from political interference.
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