Even before Bishop Gakuyo’s Ekeza sacco scandal settles down, Deputy President William Ruto has asked church leaders to embrace savings and credit co-operative societies (saccos) to improve their financial status.
“You should come up with a programme of raising funds and later take loans,” he said when he hosted more than 4,000 faithful of the African Divine Church (ADC) for the launch of African Divine Clergy Sacco at his Karen residence.
He said saccos mobilise resources for the development of the country and urged churches to be part of the mobilisation efforts.
“Saccos in Kenya have raised Sh500 billion and we want you as the Church to join in the mobilisation of local resources through saccos so that we can fund our development,” he said.
The church leaders asked Ruto and other politicians present not to shy away from participating in the development of churches.
Archbishop John Chabuga said clerics would continue to cooperate with leaders in the development of places of worship. “We will work closely with leaders on matters of church development,” he said.
Legislators present said they would ignore those criticising their contributions in churches. “We will continue to participate in the development of churches,” said Kandara MP Alice Wahome.
This comes weeks after hundreds of Kenyans who lost their savings in the troubled Ekeza Sacco and Gakuyo Real Estate company camped outside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters on Kiambu Road hoping that they would get their money back.
Bishop Gakuyo is accused of siphoning more than Sh1 billion belonging to 78,000 members, mostly peasants, of the troubled Ekeza Savings and Credit Cooperative Society.
He is said to have started an investors’ club at Gakuyo Real Estate, where he and his wife Hannah Wachu are co-directors.