The Catholic Church in Kenya has rejected a $40,000 donation from President William Ruto, citing ethical concerns. This decision has sparked discussions on the relationship between politics and religion.
Kenya’s Catholic Church has turned down a donation of approximately $40,000 (£32,000) from President William Ruto.
During Mass on Sunday at the Soweto Catholic Church in Nairobi, he donated money for constructing a priest’s house and as a gift to the choir.
The donation came after Catholic bishops criticized the government for not fulfilling their electoral promises.
This year, young anti-tax protesters have been pressuring churches, accusing them of maintaining overly close ties with politicians.
After Ruto’s widely publicized donation on Sunday, numerous Kenyans called for the Catholic Church to refuse the funds.
The president had donated approximately 2.6 million Kenyan shillings ($20,000 or £16,000) in cash, promised to provide the remaining funds at a later date, and also committed to giving the parish a bus.
Philip Anyolo, the Catholic Archbishop of Nairobi, stated that the money would be returned due to “ethical concerns and a commitment to protect the Church from being exploited for political purposes.”
He also reneged on his other commitments and stated that a donation of 200,000 Kenyan shillings from Johnson Sakaja, the Governor of Nairobi who was present at the same service, was being returned as well.
Archbishop Anyolo stated that the Catholic Church firmly opposes utilizing church events like fundraisers and gatherings for political self-promotion.
He added that such donations violated both the church directives and Kenyan law.
The strong connections between churches and political institutions in a nation where over 80% of the population identify as Christian appear to be weakening.
Three years ago, established churches prohibited politicians from using the pulpit during services in exchange for donations.
However, the relationship was still seen as close, with young demonstrators accusing the churches of aligning with the government when it imposed new taxes earlier this year.
Using the social media hashtag #OccupyChurch, numerous individuals criticized the churches for not supporting them during the deadly protests that broke out in reaction to proposed tax increases.
The outcry compelled President Ruto’s administration to retract the contentious finance bill in July.
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Last week, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, representing all Catholic bishops in the nation, accused the government of fostering a “culture of lies.”
In a blistering statement, it also highlighted concerns regarding excessive taxation, corruption, human rights violations, restrictions on freedom of speech, unemployment issues and the deterioration of both the education system and healthcare services.
“It noted that, although things seem calm on the surface, there is a significant amount of anxiety and many people are losing trust in the government.”
In response, President Ruto seemed to counter the clergy by stating, “We must ensure we provide accurate information or risk falling prey to the very accusations we make against others.”
Government-aligned Senator Aaron Cheruiyot criticized the church for spreading “misinformation,” urging that clergy should steer clear of becoming sources of propaganda, fake news, and falsehoods.
According to government statistics, a significant portion of Christians in Kenya are Catholics, with their numbers estimated at 10 million, representing roughly 20% of the country’s population.
Other Christians are part of various evangelical churches and other denominations, such as the Anglican Church of Kenya, which has supported the stance of the Catholic Church.
Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit stated that the Catholic bishops had expressed the sentiments of numerous Kenyans.
He stated that labeling church leaders or disregarding the bishops’ statement as “misleading, erroneous, and false” is itself an act of dishonesty.
The Catholic bishops have conveyed the sentiments of Kenyans and accurately reflected the reality on the ground.
BBC
