The donation followed a recent statement by bishops that was critical of the government.
Archbishop of Nairobi Philip Anyolo said the cash would be returned and declined other pledges from the presidentHe offered the money towards the building of a priest’s house and as a gift to the choir during Mass on Sunday at the Soweto Catholic Church in the capital, Nairobi.
Following Ruto’s much-publicised donation on Sunday, many Kenyans urged the Catholic Church to reject the money. He also declined his other pledges and said a donation of 200,000 Kenyan shillings made by the Governor of Nairobi, Johnson Sakaja - who attended the same service, was also being handed back."The Catholic Church strongly discourages the use of church events such as fundraisers and gatherings as platforms for political self-promotion," Archbishop Anyolo said.
Under the social media hashtag #OccupyChurch, many hit out at the churches for failing to take their side during the deadly protests that erupted in response to the planned tax hikes.Then last week, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops - which represents all Catholic bishops in the country - accused the government of perpetuating a "culture of lies".
In response, President Ruto appeared to hit back at the clergy, saying "we must be careful to give factual information lest we become victims of the things we accuse others of doing". Other Christians belong to a variety of evangelical churches and other denominations, including the Anglican Church of Kenya - which has defended the Catholic Church’s position.
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