Kenya president nonetheless handing money to church buildings regardless of his ban

Kenyan President William Ruto (L), flanked by former arch-rival and veteran politician Raila Odinga (R) addresses his supporters after they formally signed a political cooperation deal in a bid to spice up his presidency after months of turmoil, in Nairobi on March 7, 2025. Agence France-Presse

NAIROBI — Kenya’s President William Ruto sparked protests just lately after donating some $150,000 to a Nairobi church simply months after saying such hand-outs fueled corruption.

Ruto’s pledge of 20 million shillings to the Jesus Winner Ministry Church led to protesters gathering there per week later, demanding the return of what they referred to as “stolen tax cash”, solely to be teargassed by police.

Church donations and fundraisers are a longstanding custom in Kenya, and politicians usually use pulpits to achieve the plenty within the predominantly Christian nation.

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It may grow to be political theatre: final 12 months, MP Oscar Sudi, a Ruto ally, drew cheers from the congregation when he delivered a sack containing three million shillings (round $20,000) to a church in Uasin Gishu county.

However the apply has grow to be more and more divisive since mass protests broke out final June in opposition to tax hikes, corruption and police brutality.

Within the aftermath, Ruto banned authorities officers from taking part in fundraising drives for church buildings.

“No state officer or public servant shall take part in public contributions or any harambees (fundraisers) going ahead,” he mentioned in June.

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“It’s occasioning and it’s breeding, if I could say, corruption,” Ruto added.

However he seems to have forgotten his vow.

Whereas police have been teargassing youth outdoors the Jesus Winner Ministry Church, Ruto was at one other church within the city of Eldoret, providing one other 20 million shillings (round $150,000) and vowing to boost an extra 100 million for Jesus Winner.

The president was defiant, dismissing critics of donations as “individuals who don’t imagine in God”.

The federal government says the cash comes from Ruto’s private funds however many are sceptical.

“The place is that this cash coming from? Convey us the receipts,” mentioned Mwabili Mwagodi, who has helped organise the “Occupy Church” motion which goals to “disconnect the church from politics”.

The motion gained momentum final 12 months after the church stayed silent throughout protests.

Preachers have been in the end compelled to interrupt that silence after activists organised flash mobs throughout companies in Nairobi.

The Catholic Church of Kenya rejected a donation from Ruto after Mwagodi shared preachers’ contact particulars on-line and organised a barrage of complaints.

“I’m combating to liberate the Church from political corruption in Kenya,” Mwagodi posted on X.

Cash laundering

A gaggle of clergy has defended Ruto’s donation, calling it a “Godly thought”.

Catherine Njoroge, a worshipper at Jesus Winner instructed AFP: “He’s filthy wealthy and might afford it.”

The church leaders refused a number of requests to talk with AFP, and the premises have been guarded by seven armed cops on a go to this week.

Critics accuse the federal government of illegally diverting public funds to church buildings to win voters and concern the donations might be used for cash laundering.

“Some church buildings use their big congregations and platforms for functions of giving politicians political capital,” mentioned Nairobi-based lawyer Javas Bigambo.

“It has been encouraging corruption,” he instructed AFP.

The president himself used to agree, and final 12 months launched the Public Fundraising Appeals Invoice — nonetheless pending — to boost transparency, although it exempted funds raised by spiritual our bodies.

His workplace insists the ban on fundraisers by politicians remains to be in impact, regardless that a number of Ruto allies have since publicly participated in them.

Spokesman Emmanuel Talam mentioned Ruto’s latest donation was a “private contribution” however didn’t clarify how this was totally different from fundraising.

Promoting voters

In election years, Kenyan politicians flock to church buildings and provides political speeches from the pulpit.

Some Christian politicians will even begin praying in mosques on the marketing campaign path.

Reverend Timothy Njoya, a famend Nairobi preacher, condemns the apply.

Njoya campaigned for political and social justice through the authoritarian rule of Kenya’s second president, Daniel arap Moi (1978-2002), and bears the scars from beatings he obtained at protests.

He instructed AFP that donations by politicians have turned church buildings into “graveyards of spiritualism” and that preachers who settle for the money “are promoting their members for votes”.

Now retired, Njoya didn’t stand for such behaviour in his time.

“Politicians got here to my church however they didn’t have the platform. I used to be the one preaching, not them. It was not their platform, it was God’s platform,” he mentioned.

The Nationwide Council of Church buildings of Kenya just lately barred politicians from addressing congregations or saying financial contributions from the pulpit.

However a defiant Ruto has insisted he’ll proceed to “construct church buildings”.