President William Ruto yesterday
made another Sh5 million donation to the church even as leaders
reignited war with the clergy over
huge donations from politicians.
The President, through Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, donated the cash to Crispinus Anglican church, Bungoma.
This came against the backdrop of a raging debate on whether the church should accept donations from politicians.
At the heart of the debate is a decision by the Catholic Church to return Sh5.6 million donated by the President and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja last month to Soweto Catholic Church.
Lusaka, who was speaking during the thanksgiving mass, said there is nothing wrong when leaders donate towards God’s work. “There is nothing wrong with leaders contributing to God’s work,” he said.
“I urge the clergy to engage political leaders respectfully and constructively. As leaders, we represent the voice of the people and welcome criticism, but it must be delivered with decorum and based on accurate information.”
This was even as leaders who were accompanying the President to Kajiado for the interdenominational church service on Sunday strongly continued with their defence of political donations asking the church to stop misleading Kenyans.
National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah, while terming the Catholic move as an infringement of the rights of leaders said they will continue donating to churches, insisting they are not doing so to individuals but complying with God’s command.
“All of us as Christians, the church belongs to Christ and there is no church for the bishop and everything we are doing is to worship God and not an individual,” he said.
The Kikuyu MP further disclosed that the money is yet to be returned weeks after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) announced its intention to take back the donations.
Nairobi Archdiocese Archbishop Philip Anyolo on Saturday said the rejected Sh5.8 million is ready for handover to the government.
He insisted that the church is awaiting government instructions on how the money will be returned and that lack of direction from government officials continues to delay the return of the donations.
Ichung’wah noted should KCCB make good their threat, he has a long list of churches that have made requests to be supported by the money.
“If the money you were saying is returned, meaning that you also know it has not been returned, if it is returned, I have a long list I will ask the President if he gets what he is being told shall be returned to give it to me. I shall give you a big share because you have read the Bible so well then, the rest we distribute elsewhere,” Ichung’wah said.
“I want to confirm it has not been returned.” Ichung’wah was responding to calls by Bishop Mwaura that the money should be re-channelled to help churches in Kajiado should it be returned.
“We are surprised when some clergy are against you donating to the church; we are shocked because the bible is clear that when people refuse to donate, God will bring drought on our land,” Mwaura said.
“We are asking if they will return the money, we request you to bring us that money because we want to build the church and take the gospel across the world.”
“We are requesting you buy us tent for worship.” Ruto downplayed the rift, calling on the church and the state to work in harmony. “The church and the state must work together for the greater good of the country we all love,” Ruto said.
“There is no need to trade barbs, there is no competition between the state and the church, there is no reason.”
The President also promised to provide the same before Christmas celebrations. “I will send that tent plus the chair, I will not do a small tent, I will do a bigger tent plus chairs,” he said.
Sports CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi also called for sobriety
among the clergy, arguing that
restricting donations from political leaders goes against Christian
teachings.
