Nairobi county governor Johnston Sakaja (Left) and president William Ruto ( center) during a Sunday service in Soweto Catholic church /Photo, Statehouse/
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has reaffirmed its opposition to political donations to churches, instructing the Soweto Catholic Church in Nairobi to return Ksh5.8 million in contributions made by President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja. The decision followed public pressure, with some urging the church to reject the funds.
In a statement released on Monday, November 18, Archbishop Philip Anyolo confirmed that the donations, made during a church event on November 17, 2024, would be refunded. These included Ksh200,000 from Governor Sakaja for the Parish Choir and Parish Missionary Council (PMC), Ksh600,000 from President Ruto for the same groups, and Ksh2 million from the President for the construction of the Fathers’ House.
Archbishop Anyolo stressed that the KCCB’s policy aims to prevent the Church from being used for political purposes. He raised ethical concerns about allowing political figures to leverage church events for self-promotion, noting that such practices undermine the sanctity of worship spaces.
“The Catholic Church discourages using church gatherings as platforms for political rhetoric. Politicians are urged to respect the sacred nature of these spaces,” the statement read, further clarifying that the donations violated Church directives and would be returned to the respective donors.
This is a developing story. We will keep you updated with detailed information…
