Bishops in Meru have urged President William Ruto to sprinkle some of his famously generous church donations their way ahead of his highly anticipated Mt Kenya tour.

The men of God have argued that there is no dirty money noting that all coins jingle the same and should be used for the benefit of the community.

Speaking to the press on Monday, March 31, 2025, the bishops expressed their frustration over being sidelined while other churches receive substantial financial contributions.

“Kuna pesa tunaona zikipatiwa makanisa, na unapata viongozi wa hayo makanisa kubwa kubwa wanasema iyo pesa irudishwe. Sasa tunashangaa, sisi tunaomba na unyenyekevu kuna vile iyo pesa inaweza tumika. Pesa zinasaidia watu. Hakuna pesa ya dhambi,” one of the bishops said.

Loosely translated as;

“There is money we see being given to churches, and you find that the leaders of those big churches are saying that the money should be returned. Now we are wondering, we are asking humbly if there is a way that money can be used. Money helps people. There is no sinful money.”

He added that money should not be categorized as good or bad based on its origin, noting that funds are meant to assist the community. The bishop happily rattling their donation tin urged President Ruto to direct donations to their church’s Sacco to help their pastors and members.

“Hayo makanisa yanarudisha , apo ndani kuna malaya, wezi, kwa hivyo pesa sio mbaya, pesa ni ya Central bank. Kwa hivyo sisi tuletwe pesa, tuko na sacco, pesa iwekwe kwa sacco isaidie wachungaji. Rais, pesa sio mbaya, pesa imetengenezwa isaidie, na pesa ni ya mungu. Kwa hivyo sisi tuletewe pesa na tuache kusema kuna pesa ya dhambi. Pesa ni ya Central Bank,” he added.

Loosely translated as;

“Those churches are giving back, inside there are prostitutes, thieves, so money is not bad, money belongs to the Central Bank. So, we should be given money, we have a sacco, the money should be put in the sacco to help pastors. President, money is not bad, money was made to help, and money belongs to God. So, we should be given money and we should stop saying there is sinful money. The money belongs to the Central Bank.”

Another bishop, James Gichuru, welcomed President Ruto to Meru and urged him to support their Saccos. He noted that their churches had established two Saccos aimed at empowering their congregants economically.

“Pia tumesia President Ruto anakuja Meru, na tunamkaribisha. Tunamshika mkono, tunamsupport rais, na tunamuomba akija, asupport Sacco, tuko na Sacco mbili. Tunamuomba atusaidie, atupeleke mahali ingine ili tuweze kujisaidia,” Bishop Gichuru said.

Loosely translated:

“We have also heard that President Ruto is coming to Meru, and we welcome him. We are supporting him, supporting the President, and we are asking him, when he comes, to support our Sacco. We have two Saccos. We are asking him to help us, to take us to another level so that we can help ourselves.”

The bishops dismissed the notion that political donations to churches are tainted, asserting that money is neutral and meant to help people. They also highlighted that the funds donated by politicians could significantly benefit their Saccos and improve the lives of their congregants.

House divided

The debate over political donations to churches has intensified in Kenya, with various religious leaders expressing differing views on the issue.

During the Episcopal Ordination of Rt. Rev. Jackson Murugara in Meru on March 19, 2025, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), expressed concern over what he termed microphone donations.

He criticized public contributions made by politicians, urging that acts of generosity be carried out discreetly to maintain integrity.

“Good must be done well in silence,” Muhatia said, emphasizing that the church’s credibility should not be compromised by publicized donations.

Archbishop Muhatia also called on priests to adhere to guidelines discouraging the use of church events for political promotion.

Earlier, on March 5, during Ash Wednesday celebrations in Nakuru, Bishop Cleophas Oseso of the KCCB urged politicians to prioritize helping needy Kenyans instead of making hefty church donations. He warned against turning churches into platforms for public recognition and questioned the origins of such large sums.

The Catholic Church has been consistent in its opposition to publicized donations from politicians. The controversy heightened in November 2024 when the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi rejected donations from President Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.

During a service at Soweto Catholic Church on November 17, President Ruto donated Ksh600,000 to the church choir and Ksh2 million for constructing the priest’s house, pledging an additional Ksh3 million and a parish bus. Governor Sakaja contributed Ksh200,000.

However, Archbishop Philip Anyolo returned the funds, stating that the church seeks to maintain neutrality and avoid being used for political purposes.

In contrast, the Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa (PEFA) has embraced political donations.

During a meeting in Mtwapa, Mombasa, in December 2024, PEFA leaders stated they would continue accepting donations from politicians, arguing that rejecting funds solely because of their origin is unjustified.

They encouraged politicians to donate discreetly and treat their contributions as offertory, assuring that the funds would be used to further the church’s mission.