The standoff between the government and the Church over a recent donation spat that President William Ruto found himself in took a different twist on Tuesday, November 19, evening after the State House revealed that it had not received back the rejected money.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed revealed that although the Catholic Church, through Archbishop Philip Anyolo of Nairobi, declined Ruto’s donation, the church had not refunded it.
''By the end of the day(Tuesday, November 19) we have not received any money back,'' Mohammed told Citizen TV.
This development comes even as it emerged that the Catholic Parish of St. Joakim and Anne in Soweto, Nairobi, had personally requested the controversial donations.
The parish priest reportedly made the request to President Ruto during a church service, revealing that the matter had been discussed with the senior hierarchy of the church beforehand.
The request was confirmed by Ruto when he rose to address the jubilant congregation, following subsequent appeals by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and a host of other local leaders.
''As the church too, there are requests that we have brought to you via our leaders and bishops, this is not via the Christians alone, but via the citizens too,’’ James Mburungu, the parish priest told Ruto.
''I have been told by the chairman here that you are building the priest's house and I am also a developer with a record in building various projects like affordable housing...I will give you Ksh5 million,'' Ruto stated.
During a church service on Sunday, November 17, Ruto donated Ksh600,000 to Soweto Catholic Church in Nairobi for choir members and Ksh2 million that would be used to construct the father’s house.
The Head of State further promised to donate an additional Ksh3 million that would be channelled to the church’s account to purchase a church bus. During the event, Governor Sakaja donated Ksh200,000 to the same church.
Bishop Anyolo noted that the donations made by the two senior government officials contravened the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill 2024 which states that any person who solicits or receives money or a benefit conducts a fundraising appeal regardless of whether the representation made was direct or indirect.
“These funds will be refunded to the respective donors. Furthermore, the promised additional Ksh3 million for the construction of the Fathers' house and the donation of a parish bus by the President is now declined,” said the Bishop.
