Should Churches reject gifts from politician?

Politicians will not stop at anything to corrupt people and institutions — especially the church — as they advance their perceived interests. We commend the Catholic church for rejecting a top of the range vehicle — a Mitsubishi Pajero — from the Deputy President to Archbishop Philip Anyolo during his installation in January.

This is not to say that the Catholic Church is clean.

There was a heightened rate of gift presentations to churches last year in form of millions of shillings at harambees. Indeed, politicians of dubious backgrounds were on a roll in pulpits donating millions. For this, they were accorded opportunities to greet the faithful and advance their political agenda.

Politicians take advantage of such situations and duly influence emotions and advance preconceived notions as listeners cheer and applaud.

Emotions can sway people to believe untrue statements. Since the average congregant goes to church to hear the word of God, he hardly has reason to fact-check what the benevolent guest says until much later.

As we have said in the past, corruption remains an existential threat to our country. Churches should all the time reject unsolicited gifts from politicians.

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