CITIZENS COMPASS –The Archdiocese of Nairobi, Kenya, has rejected donations of KSh 600,000 from the president of the country.
The rejected donations included KSh 200,000 from Nairobi’s governor, and KSh 2 million for a church project.
The Archdiocese of Nairobi has issued a statement affirming its commitment to the directives from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) regarding political donations to the Church.
On November 14th, 2024, the KCCB issued a statement on pressing national concerns and emphasized the ethical issues surrounding politicians making donations to churches. The KCCB “strongly discourages the use of church events such as fundraisers and gatherings as platforms for political self-promotion,” warning that politicians should not “turn the pulpit into a stage for political rhetoric,” as this “undermines the sanctity of worship spaces.”
The statement also called on politicians to “demonstrate ethical leadership” and to focus on critical national issues such as “political wrangles, corruption, violations of human rights and freedom of speech,” as well as issues like “the culture of lies.” The KCCB further emphasized that the Church must remain neutral and independent to serve its spiritual purpose without any political influence.
The Archdiocese also referred to the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill 2024, which requires a permit for anyone conducting a fundraising appeal. It stated that donations made on November 17th, 2024, during an event at Soweto Catholic Church were in violation of this law. These included KSh 200,000 from the Governor of Nairobi, KSh 600,000 from the President, and KSh 2 million for building the Fathers’ house. All these funds will be refunded to the respective donors. Moreover, the “promised additional KSh 3 million for the construction of the Fathers’ house” and “the donation of a parish bus by the President” are both declined.
In conclusion, the Archdiocese reiterated that while politicians are welcome to attend church, they must do so “as ordinary Christians, without leveraging their positions for political gain.”
