By Faith Adama<\/p>\n
In a statement issued on Monday, Archbishop Philip Anyolo reaffirmed the Catholic Church\u2019s firm stance on neutrality, emphasizing that religious gatherings should not be used for political purposes.<\/p>\n
He urged political leaders to exercise restraint and respect the sanctity of worship spaces.<\/p>\n
“Politicians should refrain from turning the pulpit into a platform for political rhetoric, as such actions undermine the sanctity of places of worship,” Archbishop Anyolo said.<\/p>\n
The Nairobi Archdiocese took decisive action by refunding donations amounting to Ksh 200,000 from a sitting governor and Ksh 2.6 million from President William Ruto.<\/p>\n
The church also declined President Ruto\u2019s pledge of Ksh 3 million and a parish bus for the Soweto Catholic Church.<\/p>\n
This move aligns with the Public Fundraising Appeal Bill 2024, which mandates that individuals seeking to raise funds through public appeals must apply for a permit.<\/p>\n
It also reflects the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) guidelines, which discourage political donations to churches and the use of religious events for self-promotion.<\/p>\n
Archbishop Anyolo stressed the church\u2019s commitment to maintaining independence and neutrality. “The church must decline contributions from political leaders that could compromise its autonomy,” he said.<\/p>\n
He also called on politicians to exhibit ethical leadership and address societal issues such as corruption, unmet promises, and misplaced priorities.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, November 17, 2024, President Ruto made donations totaling Ksh 600,000 to the Soweto Catholic Church choir, parish missionary council, and other initiatives, including the construction of a priest\u2019s residence.<\/p>\n
However, these contributions were also declined by the church.<\/p>\n
The KCCB has criticized the government for fostering a “culture of lies” and using state resources to suppress dissent.<\/p>\n
Despite this, Archbishop Anyolo reiterated that politicians are welcome to attend church services as ordinary worshippers for spiritual nourishment, as long as they refrain from leveraging their positions for political gain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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