Catholic Bishops reject President Ruto’s Sh5.6 million donations to Soweto Church

The Catholic Church has issued a statement rejecting President William Ruto’s donation of almost Sh5.6 million at the Soweto Catholic Church yesterday.

According to the statement, the Catholic Church will continue to stand firm in condemning bad governance while also defending all of its institutions from being utilized politically through unconstitutional gifts and unsolicited funds.

“The Catholic Church strongly discourages the use of church events such as fundraisers and gatherings as platforms for political self-promotion. Politicians are most welcome to attend church for their spiritual nourishment, but they are encouraged to do so as ordinary Christians, without leveraging their positions for political gain,” reads part of the statement.

According to the statement, all funds donated and pledged by politicians, including Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and President William Ruto yesterday at the Soweto Church, will be refunded in full.

“The donations made to Soweto Catholic Church on Sunday, November 17, 2024, are in violation of the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill 2024 under Section 10(2). These include the Governor of Nairobi’s Sh200,000 to the Parish Choir and Parish Missionary Council (PMC), the President’s donation of Sh600,000 to the choir and PMC, and Sh2 million for the construction of the Father’s house.

These funds will be refunded to the respective donors. Furthermore, the promised additional Sh3 million for the construction of the Father’s house, as well as the donation of a Parish bus by the President, are hereby declined,” reads the statement released late Monday.

At the same time, the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Bishops released a statement on Monday, saying they fully support their Catholic counterparts in calling out President Ruto and his government to order.

In a statement read by ACK Archbishop in Kenya, Jackson Ole Sapit, the bishops say the government is not doing much to steer forward the country’s economy but rather spending too much time in political bickering.

Further, they fault government officials for attacking Catholic bishops over their fiery statement at the end of last week.

“The bishops have spoken the minds of Kenyans and faithfully expressed the truth as things are on the ground. No amount of attacks or intimidation will deter the church from calling out evil and speaking the truth to power,” reads part of the statement.

Among the issues highlighted by the ACK Bishops’ statement are the new medical scheme Social Health Authority (SHA), the university funding model, multiple abductions, endless taxes, and inhumane evictions.

“In the circumstances, we should not simply fold our hands and pray for miracles. We demand transparency, greater accountability, time-bound plans, and urgent interventions. It is time the government realized that too much talk and open-ended promises will not do,” says the ACK statement.