Church to politicians: You wont use the pulpit to clean dirty money

The Anglican Church of Kenya through its archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has said it will now review donations made to the church by politicians.

The bishop who was speaking at a media briefing by the Multi-sectoral Iniative Against Corruption said it was evil to clean proceeds of corruption by donating to charity.

“Let us not allow harambee money to become a subtle way of sanitising corrupt leaders,”the bishop said.

At the same briefing, Sapit vowed to rally up the Anglican clergy and people of goodwill to fight corruption.

He also took a swipe at leaders who were undermining institutions that are mandated to fight corruption.

“State institutions mandated to fight corruption are deliberately being undermined, discredited, neglected or underfunded to weaken them. As Kenyans and God’s children, we must say no to those undermining those institutions and putting blocks against the war on corruption.” Sapit added.

Christ is the Answer Ministries Bishop David Oginde said the solution was not in banning politicians from attending church service but denying them an opportunity to politic.

Philip Anyolo, the Kisumu Catholic Archbishop joined the fray saying that have banned politicians from using the church to politic or raise money.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria supported the move and called on Cardinal John Njue of the Catholic church and PCEA’s Guantai Mwamba to follow suit.

“As a leader I look forward to worshiping quietly in the back row with my family and disappearing unnoticed as it was those sweet days of yore,”Kuria said in part

The move to reject donations from politicians was however criticized by by among others, the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa.

Murkomen said that 90% of the politicians who attended church functions where there on invites from the church

He also asked the church to ban sinners from giving tithing and offerings.

He was supported by the Kimilili MP who said the church was the last place where sinners should be condemned.