Mixed Reactions as Catholic Church Declines Ruto’s Donation

The Catholic Church ignited a political storm last week by criticizing President William Ruto’s government, which led to denials from state agencies and diplomatic efforts from government officials to repair relations with religious institutions.

In response to these efforts, some politicians made significant donations during church services. President Ruto contributed Ksh 5 million for the construction of the Father’s house at Soweto Catholic Church in Nairobi and Ksh 300,000 to buy children’s uniforms.

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However, the Archdiocese of Nairobi made a bold decision to reject President Ruto’s donation of Ksh 5 million, citing the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) directives, which discourage political donations to churches and the use of church events for political gain. As a result, the Archdiocese decided to refund Ksh 200,000 from Nairobi’s Governor for the choir and Parish Missionary Council (PMC), Ksh 600,000 from Ruto to the choir and PMC, and Ksh 2 million from Ruto for the construction of the Father’s house.

The political tension deepened further when the Anglican Church of Kenya publicly supported the Catholic Church’s stance against the government, intensifying pressure on President Ruto’s administration.

The Catholic Church’s rejection of the donation has been widely interpreted as a stand against the use of financial contributions for political leverage. Reactions to the move varied, with some praising the church for its moral leadership, while others questioned the decision to initially accept the funds.

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