Catholic archdiocese rejects Kenyan president’s cash gift

Archbishop Philip Anyolo Subira on Monday declined a donation of nearly $40,000 made by President William Ruto. The president offered the money during Sunday Mass at the Soweto Catholic Church in Nairobi to help fund the construction of a priest’s residence at the parish. Ruto gave the church about $20,000 in cash and pledged to donate the rest of the money and a bus later, while Governor of Nairobi Johnson Sakaja also donated money during the service. Both donations will be returned, Anyolo said in a statement.

Why is the church rejecting the money? The political donations would be in violation of Kenya’s Public Fundraising Appeals Bill 2024, which outlines strict guidelines for fundraising efforts, Anyolo said. In his statement, the Archbishop stressed the importance of keeping the church independent from political leaders. He urged Ruto to instead address concerns raised last week by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops’ conference called for leaders in Kenya to prioritize the needs of the people, ease political tensions, and address alleged corruption.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Oduah’s report in World Tour about protests against Kenya’s president.