By Paschal Norbert
MERU, MARCH 21, 2025 (CISA) – Catholic bishops have reiterated their call for an end to public declarations of donations to churches by politicians, especially at the pulpit, emphasizing the need for accountability and integrity in religious contributions.
Speaking at the Episcopal Ordination of Rt Rev Jackson Murugara IMC, the Coadjutor Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Meru, Most Rev Maurice Muhatia Makumba, the Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), strongly cautioned against what he termed as “microphone donations” and “loudspeaker donations.” These, he explained, are donations given with the intent of gaining public attention rather than for genuine support of the Church’s mission.
“We are concerned about microphone donations. We are concerned about loudspeaker donations. We are concerned about donations for publicity,” Archbishop Muhatia said during the event held at Kinoru Stadium in Meru on March 19, 2025.
In his speech welcoming the new bishop into KCCB, and in an event where the Church also insisted that no politician would be allowed to address the congregation, the Archbishop of Kisumu sternly reminded the faithful of the Church’s position on ethical donations and the importance of keeping politics separate from religious functions.
The Archbishop reaffirmed that this position was a formal resolution of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, urging all priests in their respective dioceses to uphold the decision.
“We invite all priests in our respective dioceses to walk and move in tune with this resolution. It is for the good of everybody; it is for the good of our country in ensuring that issues of responsibility and accountability are sorted out,” he stated.
While clarifying that the Church is not opposed to donations, the Archbishop emphasized that acts of generosity and charity should be done discreetly, in accordance with Christian teachings, pointing out that Bishop Murugara’s Episcopal motto, ‘Good Must Be Done Well in Silence,’ aptly encapsulates the bishops’ stance on such donations and contributions.
“The Church, since time immemorial, depends on the goodwill of men and women in this work of evangelization,” Archbishop Muhatia stated, adding “We don’t refuse donations; we don’t reject donations. We are saying, ‘Good must be done well in silence.’”
He explained further, “Since the beginning, the Church has always depended on donations. Since the time of Jesus Christ, the ministry of Jesus was supported heavily by donations.”
The bishops’ renewed stance comes amid growing public debate over large sums of money donated to churches by politicians, particularly President William Samoei Ruto. The Kenyan President has faced criticism for his substantial financial contributions, with some perceiving them as an attempt to gain political mileage and silence the Church from speaking out against government shortcomings. His donations, often running into millions of shillings, have sparked controversy, with critics questioning the source of such funds.
The Catholic Church in Kenya has remained vocal in advocating for ethical governance and accountability, urging leaders to support religious institutions without using donations as a tool for political influence. The bishops’ call aligns with their broader commitment to ensuring that the Church remains an independent moral authority, free from undue political interference.
