The Catholic Church Bishops, led by Nairobi Archbishop Philip Anyolo, have explained why they have not yet returned the controversial donation made by President William Ruto.
Earlier, the Bishops issued a statement rejecting a donation made by President William Ruto to a church in Kayole, where both the President and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja had provided funds to support the church’s improvement.
Following the rejection, State House issued a statement noting that the Bishops had not yet refunded the money.
In response to these claims, Archbishop Philip Anyolo confirmed that it is indeed true the Catholic Church has not yet refunded the donations to the President and the Nairobi Governor, as initially reported after they declined the contributions.
Archbishop Anyolo explained that the delay in returning the donations is due to the church awaiting guidance from the government on the proper process to return the funds in an official manner.
He clarified that the church was fully prepared to return the funds and emphasized that they had done so in the past and would continue to follow the same practice.
He added that the church is not interested in engaging in any public dispute or confrontation with the government over the matter.
The specific donations involved include Ksh200,000 from Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, which was allocated to the Parish Choir and Parish Missionary Council (PMC), and Ksh600,000 from President Ruto, also designated for the same two church organizations.
In addition, President Ruto contributed Ksh2 million towards the construction of the priest’s house, and promised to donate an additional Ksh3 million to help the church purchase a bus.
While waiting for official instructions on how to return the money, the Catholic Bishops reiterated the importance of maintaining the church’s independence and integrity.
They expressed concerns about the ethical implications of political donations and the potential impact on the church’s neutrality and sanctity.
Join Kenyan Gen z and millennials official WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time the ongoing situation https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
