Church supports anti-graft war, Murang’a Catholic bishop says

Bishop James Maria Wainaina of the Catholic Diocese of Murang’a during a function in Sagana on June 24, 2018 where he reiterated that the church supports the way on corruption. PHOTO | NDUNGU GACHANE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The bishop added that it is every Christian’s right to fund church projects.
  • He said he had during the campaigns issued a warning to politicians not to take their ill-gotten money to the church.
  • He expressed concerns over the increased cases of corruption in the country, saying the vice has brought the country down.

A Catholic bishop has refuted claims that the church has not been fighting corruption and that the clergy have been helping corrupt politicians to legitimise their ill-gotten wealth when they donate to church fundraisers.

Speaking Sunday, Bishop James Maria Wainaina of the Catholic Diocese of Murang’a said while the church has been condemning corruption and refusing donations from the corrupt politicians, it is difficult to (physically) identify money gotten through corruption.

He added that it is every Christian’s right to fund church projects.

WARNING

The Bishop who was speaking at Our Lady of Consolata Catholic Parish Sagana during the celebrations of 50 years since the church started, said during campaigns, he issued a warning to politicians not to take their ill-gotten money to the church.

The bishop was responding to claims by Third Way Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot's claims that the church has remained silent in the war on graft.

Dr Aukot, who spoke on Thursday at the 12th Upper Eastern Regional Ecumenical Conference at Gitero, claimed that corrupt politicians have been donating their ill-gotten money in church to legitimise it.

But Bishop Wainaina said it is difficult to identify the source of money donated in church or how it was acquired.

"I have been urging politicians not to bring their money to church if they know that they have not acquired it in the right manner but we can't actually know whether the money is clean or not," the bishop, who is in charge of Murang’a and Kirinyaga, counties said.

CONSCIENCE

He said it takes the conscience of politicians and all other people who wish to take their contributions to guide them before taking it to church.

"It's everybody's right to support a church project but it is not their right to take the money they have looted from the public coffers to the church," Bishop Wainaina said.

He expressed concerns over the increased cases of corruption in the country, saying the vice has brought the country down.

He said corruption has hindered development in the country since the money meant for development has often ended up in people's pockets.